Casino Chips - Now We're Talking Technology

"The Casino's Most Valuable Chip" provides an in-depth look at how technology has transformed the gaming industry from a small time operation often run by organized crime to a heavily regulatedSaverio Scheri III is a New Jersey native and the managing director of WhiteSand Consulting.   Saverio's website is www.whitesandconsulting.com  multi-million dollar industry in which technology plays a key role in almost every level of operation.

The 168-page manuscript and pictorial book was written by New Jersey native and the managing director of WhiteSand Consulting Saverio E. Scheri III. The journey begins with a visit to the Las Vegas Flamingo on New Year's Eve 1940. Customers checking into the famed hotel were greeted by front desk clerks who did not use computers for the registration process, counting the money, or tracking the customers, in fact casino hosts relied on paper and pencil for this task.

According to the book, the first computers were not seen in the casino industry until the mid-70s. In fact, through the 1990s, many casino operators still utilized the bare minimum of technology to run their businesses.

This interesting perspective of the role technology has played in the growth of the casino industry, shows how technology was used to drive organized crime out of Las Vegas."...unlike any other business in the world, there was no audit trail; no inventory that needed to be purchased in order to manufacture something or re-sell an item at mark-up. Instead the casinos basically just collected cash from their customers."

The book recounts how technology and internal controls were created to regulate, audit and report on the operation of the casinos. These controls continue to remain one of the most important tools of technology implemented today.

In a case study format, the author explores how technology has been utilized by some of the biggest gaming companies in operation today including Harrah's Entertainment, Boyd Gaming, Steve Wynn, Caesars, IGT, and Bally Manufacturing to name a few. Scheri takes an in-depth look into every area of operation and how technology has enabled the industry to forge new paths and grow at an unprecedented rate. Photos of gaming legends and behind the scenes of properties are placed throughout the book.

From the evolution of the slot machine to the growth in customer amenities, the book explores the role technology has played. According to the book, technology has been utilized in every aspect of the industry including food and beverage, hotel operations, security, gaming management, customer tracking and databases, entertainment and human resources.