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COINSvg is an extension of GRT's proven COINS system. Where COINS is designed to monitor larger casino operations, COINSvg is designed to monitor hundreds or thousands of smaller gaming operations such as truck stop casinos and restaurants and lounges that may have only a few machines at each of them. COINSvg offers the same central site functionality and high performance provided by COINS. But COINSvg promotes the use of a data collection architecture - the methods used to exchange data with gaming locations - that offers substantial benefits to the regulation community. It also gives casino/route owners and operators the ability to competitively choose a vendor for their on-site controller and tracking systems, and it encourages competition between vendors and manufacturers of site controllers and gaming machines by helping to maintain a "level playing field." Why is the Data Exchange Architecture Important? [back to top] It's important because the choice of methods used to exchange data with gaming sites can have ramifications to the long-term operation of a regulator's central monitoring system far beyond what might be expected, ramifications that can complicate or hinder your operations and limit your migration options. This is because many monitoring systems offered today use proprietary (closed) communication protocols and sometimes, patented methods, concepts, or processes for information exchange. Often, the providers of these systems also have interests in the manufacturing and sale of video gaming machines and machine controllers to casinos and other gaming locations. When a regulator's monitoring system depends on the use of such closed components, they can find that their operations are influenced in ways that they never intended. For example, the owner of a proprietary protocol may chose to cease support for it ("planned obsolescence"), effectively forcing the regulator to upgrade or replace parts - or all - of their systems. And when a regulator has chosen a closed product they also have to require that the entities that must communicate data to them using that system - casino owners, route operators, small gaming locations - must also use products that may only be available from a single source, and that likewise would have to be upgraded or replaced if that single source decided to cease support for a product. Clearly, it is desirable to have the ability to implement a system that reduces or eliminates the dependence of the regulator on a single vendor, and especially when that vendor may have interests in areas that are part of the regulator's jurisdiction! And, it is also desirable to be able to implement a solution that will not force casinos, whatever their size, to use data communication products that are available from a single vendor and that could also impact other areas of their operations, such as the type of gaming machines they can use or when they have to upgrade or replace those machines. The COINSvg Solution [back to top] Gaming Regulation Technologies has developed the COINSvg architecture to address these issues. COINSvg is an "open" system that utilizes a published and license-free protocol that can be used by the State and casino system vendors indefinitely. COINSvg includes all of the required central system components, databases, and functionality but has only a small footprint at the gaming site. This is because site controllers can be supplied by any of a number of vendors that use the open protocol to communicate with the central system. How VGMs communicate with the site controllers is left to the gaming industry and VGM operators - (as long as any other requirements of the regulator in those areas are met). Advantages to the Regulator [back to top] •
Separates the regulatory body from the gaming industry; allowing
the market to dictate site controller and VGM selection, • Level playing field for all site controller and VGM manufacturers
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