PGIJANFEBMAGAZINE2021a

49 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 One aspect of this picture is that modern technology is agile technology which is provisioned with the functionality to be compatible with industry-wide standards. Much of the existing infrastructure, and the products and component parts of that infrastructure, continues to deliver the functionality required by the modern player and market-place. The challenge is to integrate new technology, new products, new technological solutions, into a system that is based on legacy platforms and tech- nology. GLI’s more recent focus is not so much on the individual technology pieces as on how those pieces fit together to produce a fully integrated operational platform and a seamless, friction-free player experience. For instance, player identification is a key component to Loyalty Programs and Players Clubs. The technological tools and standards that ensure security and integrity for Loyalty Programs are not the same as those required for cashless transactions that involve not just loyalty reward points but actual funds. New technological tools needed to be integrated into the existing player-account systems to enhance player identification and transaction security. That is no small task that required the col- laboration of operator and multiple manu- facturers and technology providers along with the assistance of GLI. We harvested testing best-practices and methods from other industries, including cross-pollina- tion from multiple sectors of the games- of-chance industry; and we facilitated the regulators’ inspections which had always been done in the field and were now being conducted in video-conferenced sessions. At the same time, we are all stretching to make the process of player identification more automated. Reducing the number of steps and increasing the portability of data across multiple devices and even platforms, creates an easier, faster, and more convenient player experience. Every operator has its own unique way of integrating its technology partners into its enterprise-wide IT management system. So, operators all have different pathways to meet the functionality standards required by regulators. There is no universal system of internal controls and methods to audit the process. GLI assists operators in applying the most efficient and effective way to meet the new regulatory requirements. Since we do not have a crystal ball to predict the future, we are always doing everything we can to prepare ourselves and our clients for whatever may come. It is our business to understand not only where the recre- ational gaming industry is heading, but where the entertainment and all consumer- facing industries are going, and the way technology is evolving to enable progress wherever that may be. How exactly will the explosion of streaming services be applied to the gaming industry? What will be the technological and security inflexion points? A few years ago, manufacturers were moving away from creating all their own gaming machines and instead using third party game engine developers who in turn were innovating with new concepts like subscription games. How does that work and what will the regulatory issues be like? Manufacturers and regulators also bring ideas and trends to our attention so we can get a jump on the whole process of research- ing, testing, identifying the issues, and engaging in the multiple iterations involved needed to launch a product into the market. Is there a trade-off between the number of steps and the length of time of it takes for the player to register and the level of security that you’re able to preserve? I. Hughes: It is well-known that every extra step to the registration process can lose 30% or more of your new registrations. They simply won’t take the time to go the extra step and just leave the website. That is why Amazon’s one-click ordering and attention to making the consumer experience as easy as possible is so essential to its success as an online vendor. Additional steps do enable an increase in security. But that does not mean that fewer steps are necessarily less secure. Operators and technology providers are working together to enable personal information like drivers’ license numbers and such to be easily ported over from personal identification tokens or digital wallets. Of course, there are strict rules like the BSA (Bank Secrecy Act) that protect the confidentiality of personal information. So it is not a matter of giving up a measure of security in order to enable more efficiency. Instead, it is a matter of finding technologi- cal solutions that allow you to preserve the highest level of security while also making it more efficient and easy for the user experience. Amazon and others may lead the way and then it is up to us to transfer the technological and process solutions and apply additional standards appropriate for the games-of-chance industry. What are some other issues that GLI and operators that are new to iLottery will be facing over the coming months? I. Hughes: I think we are starting to see an expansion in the number of game content and service and platform providers supporting the iLottery industry. More companies that occupy space in the supply chain between the lottery operator and the customer means more complexity, and a widening diversity of integration and security issues that in turn create more regulatory compliance issues. There are state laws, there are federal laws, and there are the higher standards that state lottery operators want abide because they know it is important to preserve the reputation for integrity and security. GLI can help to navigate this hierarchy of priorities, integrate the multiple pieces that ensure security and integrity, and advise on how to install the technological infrastructure that delivers an efficient and effective solution. What inflection points should operators and manufacturers be thinking about going forward? There used to be a handful of recreational gaming options – mainly lottery and casinos. Now there are new games and channels of distribution and devices that deliver access to new game categories popping up every day. Ian Hughes, continued from page 29 Continued on next page