CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification: How does it benefit Operators? Russ Ristine – Radical Blue Gaming

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification What is GSA? GSA is an international trade association GSA’s members include gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators Since 1998, GSA has been promoting and facilitating the development of open standards that benefit the entire gaming industry

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Benefits of GSA Create Standard Protocols (GDS, G2S, and S2S) –Protocol experts from member companies –All agree this is the way it must be Encourage adoption –Create a stable protocol –Training (UNLV – IGI) –Celebrate implementations –Provide publicity

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA’s Platinum Members

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Goal of a Standard Protocol Move all players from proprietary solutions to standard communications Vendors spend less time maintaining protocols Single Protocol – Much easier to test Operator doesn’t have to wait for their version to get modified Fearless Installs!

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification What are these Protocols? G2S - Game to System Protocol –Used to connect Gaming Devices to back of house systems –SAS Replacement S2S - System to System Protocol –Used to connect servers to other servers –In the field, used for Class II, Kiosks, etc. –One independent standard communication method

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Intro to the Protocols GDS – Gaming Device Standard –Internal to EGM –USB protocol which connects peripherals (note acceptor, card reader, printer, etc.) to the main computer board in the EGM SAS – Slot Accounting System –This protocol is the most widely used in the industry –Created nearly 20 years ago; evolved to become most common protocol

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA’s 3 Protocols Game Control Progressive Advanced Slot Accounting Voucher Manager Player Tracking Coin/Bill Counters S2S Coin Acceptor Coin Hopper Note Acceptor Printer Touch Screen EGM Host Systems and other S2S devices Kiosks Point of Sale Class II Servers S2S G2SGDS

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Agenda  Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs) What about Systems? GSA’s Certification Program Making Certification Effective

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Current EGM World Every EGM has a version of SAS for every SMIB Every SMIB has a version of SAS for every EGM System to SMIB – homogenized, but proprietary All are typically developed in a vacuum New versions are developed to solve problems when teams finally connect in the field

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Slot Floor Network - Today

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Why is SAS Difficult? 19,200K polled protocol with odd start bit Polling requires responses at inconvenient times Responses must meet strict timing requirements Multiple interpretations of the SAS protocol make interoperability testing a requirement SAS Certification testing started in 2005, 16 years after protocol came out!

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification SAS Certification GSA Creates a SAS working group Operators then ask for certification to reduce problems in the field Most existing applications failed certification Certification only tests EGMs… EGMs are now more conscious about doing their implementation correctly

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification SAS Problems Fade Away Why is G2S better? G2S is made to be easily extended to accommodate new features and functions G2S is event driven – the EGM (or system) acknowledges immediately, and then replies as soon as it is able G2S uses proven Internet technology such as TCP/IP and Web Services, and is designed for reliability in a high traffic network

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification More Benefits of G2S G2S is made up of “classes” –The classes separate the protocol into smaller parts with each performing a specific function The name of the class is typically the function it provides –Classes can represent physical devices (money acceptors, printers etc.) business needs (such as vouchers or handpay) Or protocol function (Communications, configuration)

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification More Benefits of G2S Every Class has an owner –Owner - the computer/Server that owns and is responsible for managing the class But any server can be a guest (read only access) –subscribe to meters and events –request status, logs and profile information

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Agenda Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs)  What about Systems? GSA’s Certification Program Making Certification Effective

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification What about Systems? Every System vendor has their own suite of protocols for connecting to peripherals Every peripheral (like a kiosk) has a suite of protocols for connecting to different systems Everything eventually works together but it’s hard to make changes –New vendor –New feature

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA’s S2S Protocol With GSA’s S2S protocol, there’s now one “standard” System to System protocol Provides a standardized way for communications to occur S2S can be easily extended to accommodate new features and functions S2S uses proven Internet technology such as TCP/IP and Web Services, and is designed for reliability in a high traffic network

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification However… Even with S2S we have differing implementations Seminoles are using a variant of S2S Choctaws – S2S 1.10 with non-std transport + extra classes Chickasaws – S2S 1.2 (Yeah!) but developing in a vacuum (uh-oh!) Why is this occurring?

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Solutions Eliminating non-standard implementations Doing it right must become the only way Standard reference implementations for S2S Certification program is needed Achieving certification must have value Operators MUST insist on certification

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Agenda Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs) What about Systems?  GSA’s Certification Program Making Certification Effective

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification – Planned from the Start The GSA Certification program is designed to minimize interoperability problems The goal is to achieve one correct interpretation of the protocol Protocol schemas and web services rules can be used to test messages Feedback loop from Operators ensures the Certification program remains viable (and relevant)

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification GSA compliance – testing by 3rd party lab to ensure that the protocol implementation is correct GSA Compliance testing is NOT Regulatory Approval Protocol certification streamlines the regulatory process –Reduces the quantity and variety of tests that must be performed

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification GSA Certification All parties benefit through –Improved speed to market for products –Products work together when they show up on your floor –Plug and Play (easier installs, reduced service calls) If both devices are certified, they should work together the first time they are connected (like your PC and printer)

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Certification Program Goal = Correct and consistent implementation of GSA’s standards Formal process for the testing and certification of Gaming Products ISO Accreditation for Testing Agencies Products passing certification will be published in the Certification Register on GSA’s web site

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Reference Implementations Simulators and test tools are available to provide a reference version of the protocol Developers can use a simulator to ensure their EGM or system will talk to a correctly implemented system (or EGM) Test tools are also available so that new code can be exercised with thousands of transaction over days Developers can pre-test with certification tools

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Challenge Tests GSA will employ challenge tests to spot check testing agencies to ensure they are testing effectively If a certified product fails a challenge test, the testing agency is notified to review their process. If situation doesn’t improve, test agency can lose certification Goal – ensure process is of high quality

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Agenda Looking at Slot Machines (EGMs) What about Systems? GSA’s Certification Program  Making Certification Work

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Why Bother? Left to their own devices, most folks will take the easiest path to a solution Operators must strongly indicate they prefer less chaos on their floors Developers will realize that doing it right (vs. fast) is actually more efficient

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification What is GSA doing? Publishing protocols Cajoling Slowing the rate of change Focus on backwards compatibility Working with members to finalize the process Interoperability Demonstration at G2E

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Education GSA Donated funds to UNLV Foundation to establish a GSA Certified Engineering Program –International Gaming Institute & School of Informatics at the UNLV –Two GSA Affiliate Professors of Gaming Technology Initial Course Focus – G2S Developers –Covering XML & Web services; G2S Messaging classes –Transport and Security –Configuration & Player Management Two classes have graduated so far

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Standard Simulators G2S Scope (Host) for EGM manufacturers EGM Simulator for System developers Everyone is looking for faults in the products New versions go to everyone All of this is happening NOW Even though the path is mapped out, it’s hard to get everyone to follow it…

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification G2E 2007 – Interop Demo aaa bbb ccc ddd eee

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification What can YOU do? Stay involved in what GSA is doing Become an intelligent consumer Ask vendors about GSA protocol progress Look for the Inter-op Demo at G2E Insist on GSA certifications - - not negotiable, no variations from the standard Consider setting up your own testing facility

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Recap - G2S Certification The G2S Certification program is designed to minimize interoperability problems With Certification testing, there is only one correct interpretation of the protocol for all EGMs and Systems Operator involvement will ensure that the Certification program is effective

CasinoFest4: GSA Certification Questions?