Inside Asian Gaming

NOVEMBER 2018 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 61 “The token itself doesn’t just get you a meal in the casino but you can actually use it in games, enhancing the player experience,” Chan says. “Whether you’re playing in the casino or on your mobile at home, you can purchase all sorts of in-game accessories, so on a slot machine you can perhaps control the speed of the spin or you can add new entertainment elements. “In the ‘Fish Hunter’ game (developed by TGG), for example, you can actually freeze the fish, bring in additional fish or buy a bigger cannon to improve your chances of shooting the fish. “You can even use the tokens to buy a new avatar, like a monster you can carry around on your mobile phone and use on slot machines in casino games. The avatar can be transferred to and used on any games available on the Alphaslot platform. “There is also the possibility for casino operators to add their own elements that are unique to their casinos in order to attract players. Think of Pokémon Go where people have to go to different locations to find different types of Pokémon – they went crazy for that game. “Imagine one of the major Asian casino operators having their own unique token or avatar that players can only mine from there, or at certain times during a promotion. It is a very effective way to implement this sort of CRM (Customer RelationshipManagement) and it adds a new dimension that wasn’t available before.” However, what really separates Alphaslot from the crowd, according to Chan, is the platform’s interchangeability. “You can jump from one eSports game to another eSports game, then play at the casino, then jump back into the mobile games and then into eSports again,” he explains. “Along the way you can acquire accessories that will make your gaming experience better. Some of the accessories will be interchangeable between games too – they will be inter-related with each other which brings a new dimension to gaming. “It is all linked so the next time you come back – not even necessarily to the same casino but to another casino in another destination – you will still be able to play using your tokens. To make it more interesting, the casino operator can add in their own elements that are unique to their casinos in order to attract players. “And of course the longer you play the more tokens you get.” So just how long before Alphaslot becomes a reality? Although imagined only last year, the company has wasted no time in initiating development and is currently working closely with Professor Joseph Chan from the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Business and Economics on its blockchain infrastructures. “We expect that by next year we’ll be able to overcome the technology challenges such as security, efficiency and speed of transfer,” says Chan. “Once that’s done we’ll be ready for the market in mid-2019.” TECH TALK Alphaslot will offer linked slot machines on casino floors, allowing players to utilize their tokens for live play wherever the Alphaslot blockchain network is supported, much like current casino players use loyalty points.