SEARCH NEWS:

 

GSA Unveils New Protocol

LAS VEGAS – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Today's gaming floor will meet the future's software thanks to a new transitional protocol from the Gaming Standards Association (GSA).

The organization will soon unveil its new Serial Best of Breed (SBOB) protocol, which allows today's gaming devices to run tomorrow's more sophisticated software. SBOB provides an immediate software solution for games currently on the casino floor, allowing operators and manufacturers to work together as they transition products and take advantage of the many benefits of GSA's BOB protocol, while BOB games and systems of the future are being developed. GSA has already received a great deal of positive feedback from operators and manufacturers, includng Mandalay Resort Group, Aristocrat Technologies and Revive Partners.

GSA President Peter DeRaedt said, "GSA's membership represents all facets of the gaming industry and many of our member companies have been telling us that while BOB is further developed, SBOB is an immediate solution for them as they prepare for full BOB implementation."

SBOB follows GSA tradition by taking advantage of an existing open standard (WBXML) developed for the wireless industry.

This protocol compresses XML messages into binary XML code using methods that can be executed on older slot machines that do not have the processing capabilities of the newer gaming devices. Older slot machine microprocessors are not required to create or decode all the XML messages.

SBOB communicates using an off-the-shelf transport protocol, namely the point-to-point (PTP) protocol from the internet community. GSA's BOB committee is in the initial stages of making the SBOB a formal GSA standard protocol, and expects full membership approval in early 2005, with the protocol being made available to the industry shortly thereafter. A preview of the standard was demonstrated in the GSA booth at the recent Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

About the Gaming Standards Association (GSA): The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is an international trade association representing gaming manufacturers, suppliers, op"erators and regulators. We facilitate the identification, definition, development, promotion, and implementation of open standards to enable innovation, education, and communication for the benefit of the entire industry. Since its incorporation on May 6, 1998, GSA has grown to 76 members representing a wide cross section of the global gaming industry.

< Gaming News