Groundbreaking technology has been a hallmark of the gaming industry, and of its main trade show, the Global Gaming Expo. Every year since 2003, Global Gaming Business has recognized the most creative and useful of gaming's technological innovations with our annual Gaming & Technology Awards.

Earlier this year, we assembled a distinguished panel of judges and solicited nominations from across the worldwide gaming industry as candidates for the top three innovations in four separate categories-consumer service technology, productivity enhancement, slot products and table game innovations.

Our judges for the awards this year were: Claudia Winkler, president, GHI Solutions Inc.; Rob Russell, gaming analyst, Regulatory Management Counselors, P.C.; Israel Posner, executive director, Institute of Gaming Management, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; Charles Lombardo, consultant and former vice president of slot operations for Caesars Palace and Seminole Gaming; and Peter Johns, director of slot operations, casino division for MGM Grand Macau.

At G2E, the eighth annual Gaming & Technology Awards were awarded to products and services our judges thought were the best of the year.

Taking the top spot this year as  Best Consumer Service Technology was the Tournament Manager from International Game Technology, a tool that allows instant slot tournaments with real-time scoring in a networked floor environment.

The Biometric Recognition system from Bally Technologies took the top spot as Best Productivity-Enhancement Technology. This facial-recognition tool, designed for security and surveillance, is put to use at the point of play, to enforce self-exclusion programs, or for recognition for player-tracking purposes without the use of a card.

Winning for Best Slot Product was Cash Spin by Bally, which includes a virtual wheel that can physically be spun by the player, and actually responds to the player's actions.

The award for Best Table Game Innovation goes to iTable for Specialty Games by Shuffle Master, a hybrid product that combines a live dealer with electronic player stations for betting.

"In these difficult economic times, it's clear that the technology providers to the gaming industry have not taken a breather," said GGB Publisher Roger Gros. "The quality and quantity of this year's entries surpassed any previous year, once again validating that the Gaming & Technology Awards are the 'gold standard' in the casino industry."

Here are the winners of the eighth annual Global Gaming Business Gaming & Technology Awards.

BEST CONSUMER SERVICE TECHNOLOGY

IGT  Tournament Manager with Real-Time Scoring
Bally  CoolSign Media Management
Aristocrat  Content Delivery Manager CDM

Honorable Mention
Alvin5  Mobile Gaming, Entertainment & Hospitality Solution
TCSJohnHuxley e-FX Insignia Display
 

BEST PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCEMENT TECHNOLOGY

Bally Biometric Recognition
FutureLogic TableXchange printer/scanner
Bally Business Intelligence

Honorable Mention
Bally Live Floor View
Shuffle Master i-Verify House Way Verifier

BEST SLOT PRODUCT

Bally  Cash Spin
IGT  MegaJackpots Center Stage platform
WMS   Star Trek Episode 4: The Enterprise Incident

Honorable Mention
Bally  Reel Image Video Slot
WMS  Monopoly Grand Hotel Big Event

BEST TABLE GAME PRODUCT OR INNOVATION

Shuffle Master iTable for Specialty Games
TCSJohnHuxley  TouchTable MultiPLAY Roulette/SicBo/Craps
Cantor Gaming  eDeck Wireless Mobile gaming product

Honorable Mention
Casino Technology  Dueling Pianos
IGT  DTS-X Table

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.

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