Multiloteri’s MLT® – mobile lottery terminal™ opens up a host of new possibilities
for both players and casinos
Faced with a shortage of dealers, a cap on the number of live gaming tables and imminent restrictions on smoking areas at their properties, Macau casino operators are becoming more interested in finding new ways for players to bet on games away from the tables.
One solution could be to introduce a remote gaming platform that enables players to gamble anywhere within a casino resort property. Although the idea of applying wireless technology to support and augment land-based gaming operations is not new, the introduction of such technology has been moving very slowly due to legal issues and security concerns.
Czech Republic-based MultiloteriR, a pioneer in the research and development of wireless gaming technology, is about to launch one of the first wireless gaming platforms designed specifically for landbased casinos.
David Čechmanek, founder of Muliloteri, is hopeful that hand-held gaming devices will find greater acceptance in the future. Mr. Čechmanek spoke to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s MLTR – mobile lottery terminal™—a portable gaming device using state of the art wireless technology.
IAG: Please tell us about the development of your main product.
Mr Čechmánek: For a long time, our company, MultiloteriR, has been dedicated to the development of a gaming device: Multiloteri MLTR – mobile lottery terminal™. To protect it, we applied for patent protection for all of our products even before their introduction in the market. Patent protection is a very lengthy process, but for a small firm like ours, it is the only way to break through and succeed. We wanted to publish information and present our products several months later, but as we noticed the attempts of some firms to introduce a similar product in the market, we decided to announce our products immediately.
Our goal is to distribute MLT throughout the world, but arranging for production and operation of such a number of MLT devices and their parts is difficult from financial, technological and logistical points of view. These are the main reasons why we are currently looking for reliable, ambitious and prestigious partners to ensure production and distribution.
Do you see potential for MLT in Asia?
Any product that does not require too much space has potential in overpopulated Asia.
But it is not only about giving the operator independence from space and location, but also about giving more options from a design point of view.
MLT consists of multiple portable terminals (tablet PCs) connected to one central control unit (if necessary, an integrated control unit may be used to connect with the server). Its purpose is to
enrich the variety of gaming options and to extend gaming experience to places where other gaming devices cannot be placed or operated for various reasons. Such reasons might include aesthetics of given place, size or rules of the facility (casinos). As most of the countries, particularly Asian countries, have restriction on the size of casinos, implementation of the MLT system has the potential to maximise the profit per square foot within any casino premises.
Smart phone technology has radically changed the way entertainment is consumed, but it still has not had much effect on the way gambling is consumed. Why has the gaming industry been so slow to adopt such new technologies?
I would say the gaming industry has always been slow to develop. On the one hand there is certain indolence—‘as long as it keeps earning money, there is no need to hurry’. On the other hand, there are the laws. It is not easy to develop a new gaming device and market it, because one needs to acquire necessary permissions, licences, certificates, etc., which takes an incredibly long time in the gaming industry. Thus the device becomes obsolete before it is even put into application. This means a combination of slow and difficult procedures.
With iPhone and similar technologies, the situation becomes even more complicated, and it remains a question whether gambling could ever be allowed on mobile phones. There are many shortcomings which can never be removed (perhaps they could be merely tolerated). The main problem is a complete lack of control whether such gambling is accessible to minors—it could not be prevented in any way. Other problems are insufficient control over money transfers and the lack of privacy—while bank reports might reveal gains and losses to the authorities (tax office) or at best ‘only’ to wives.
And there is yet another factor, which is the absence of human interaction associated with gambling on the phone. It is gambling for the sake of gambling as opposed to entertainment in a casino resort environment. The difference between playing in a casino and playing on a mobile phone could be compared to the difference between picking up a beautiful girl in a bar and buying an inflatable doll in a sex shop. It is the same game but on a completely different playground.
Therefore, MLT is an ideal solution, somewhere in between. With our devices, players can enjoy their favourite games such as slots or roulette, in the bar, coffee lounge, spa or pool deck of the casino hotel, within the network reach. If you like, it can be totally anonymous. Many would also appreciate privacy while playing, because you may meet various people in a casino who might even bother or disturb you.
What kind of wireless technology does Multiloteri use to allow players to make bets from their devices? Please elaborate on how you deal with the security problems that stem from wireless technologies.
With regard to the constant development of wireless technologies, it is not necessary to insist on one particular technology only. Therefore, the patent document (within the terminological limits) defines the connection as “wireless” without any further specifications. This information is interesting, especially for our investors and licence partners.
The security of the data transfer is consistent with common VLT (video lottery terminal) and IVT (interactive video terminals) standards. This means that all the algorithms take place in the central control server which feed data to the handheld devices through a series of firewalls.
Do Multiloteri products offer players the option of betting on games with live dealers?
MLTR is not an unchangeable gaming platform, but it is a means of delivering gaming content. The patent protection is aimed particularly at this direction. It means that after some modifications to the hardware, it can be used as a self-service betting terminal which is quite common in Europe. The same applies for online interactive reel and other casino games.
To learn more about Multiloteri’s MLT – mobile lottery terminal, visit http:// multiloteri.com/
