Casino security - Expert commentary
The average business owner or investor has some kind of security precaution in place, especially in the after-hours when there are fewer deterrents to inhibit criminal activity. Security guards, video surveillance systems, motion sensor lights, or even just fake cameras placed around the property are some of the common options people choose. Future of overnight security Smart business owners are starting to realise, however, that some of these traditional security measures are becoming...
It’s no secret that the data security sector is constantly changing. It has an annual CGR of about 12.3%. Future trends in data security Much of this has to do with the rise of cybercrime in recent years, with reports showing that cyberattacks happen as often as every 39 seconds. To combat the growing rate of cybercrime, data security has been on the rise. As we journey further into this era, it becomes evident that a spectrum of significant trends is molding the future of data se...
Open platform video technology software is more than just a product; it's a tool that helps customers achieve their desired business outcomes. Safety, round-the-clock security, and increased operational efficiencies are now the norm due to video technology. Responsible Technology Despite humanity’s impressive technological advances, we also recognise the immense responsibility that comes with technological innovation. It's not enough to focus solely on the positive impact video technol...
The use of facial recognition has become a highly debated topic recently, and has increasingly and misleadingly been criticised by some for being an unethical tool used to spy on the public. The reason for such criticism is however largely due to lack of information and regulation around the technology. Used proportionately and responsibly, facial recognition can and should be a force for good. It has the ability to do a lot more to increase security in the future – from street crime to...
Facial recognition has a long history dating back to the 1800s. To track down criminals, such as infamous bandits Jesse Woodson James and Billy the Kid, law enforcement would place “Wanted Alive or Dead” posters advertising bounties and soliciting public cooperation to help locate and even apprehend the alleged criminals. In addition to the bounty, these posters would include a photo and brief description of the crime, which would then be circulated to law enforcement agencies arou...
According to IHS Market, it is estimated that there are over 60 million security cameras in the United States, and other reports say these cameras capture more than four billion hours of footage per week. Over the last decade, IP camera technology has dominated the conversation as it has provided users with a broad offering of enhanced image quality and features. With a large percentage of existing security systems relying on analogue, many end users looking for high definition (HD) video qual...
Security teams at casinos and gaming facilities are challenged daily to balance a welcoming and guest-focused attitude with a firm and capable presence to prevent and handle security issues, manage surveillance and security systems, and protect employees, guests, and assets. And all of this needs to be accomplished while complying with strict gaming regulations. An experienced security systems integrator can assist you with many of those challenges, including the very important job of ensuring...
Cameras capable of recording video at 60 frames per second (fps) are becoming widely available in the security industry. It’s important to understand what 60-fps brings to the table for the security industry and how to leverage the technology for particular scenarios. Capturing video at 60-fps represents a unique application. System integrators typically use much lower frame rates, ranging from 7- to up to 30-fps. The potential for an incident might only represent 1%, or less, of the tim...
Video. It’s a central part of everyone’s lives — whether it’s streaming content to your home television, sharing your own recorded movies on social media or transforming video into actionable intelligence in the business environment — and the value of video from all aspects and markets in the world continues to expand. Use cases are growing as well: Employee training, student learning evaluations, marketing reviews, drone video capture for real estate sales and cu...
Joining Pelco in late 2015, Sharad Shekhar is responsible for the entire global video business and is leading the charge to reinvigorate the Pelco brand with system integrators Back in the day, you literally couldn’t speak with a security company about a video surveillance project without the Pelco name coming up. It had a loyal following and an extremely large installation base. Over the years, that changed and the fervour with which integrators referred to the brand se...
As the technology in omnidirectional cameras continues to improve, they are becoming increasingly more affordable to a wider segment of the video surveillance market Just a few years ago, omnidirectional cameras were a novelty. Today, however, this technology has taken the leap to the mainstream. Think about how ubiquitous Google’s Street View is, and you can gain a better idea of the power of omnidirectional cameras. Even consumers are starting to see many forms of omn...
7K cameras are best suited for large openspaces such as stadiums and city centres,capturing the finest details in their footage With several manufacturers now offering 4K CCTV cameras, Avigilon, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, raised the bar in April 2015 with the launch of their 7K HD Pro surveillance solution. The 30-megapixel camera is the latest addition to the company’s Professional Series, an innovative model Avigilon believes will drive competition in the se...
IP video recording systems offer high-resimaging, speed & analytics to its end users Familiarity with analogue systems Familiarity is one factor in the slow conversion of casino customers to IP technologies. Many end users and integrators are comfortable with and have long-term experience with the more simplistic analogue systems. However, as IP systems continue to become easier to install and maintain with more plug-and-play technology, this dynamic shoul...
A 360-degree technology solution can be installed across the gaming floor, integrated right into the VMS and used for forensic purposes New 360-degree cameras are providing new video surveillance benefits to the casino market. MGM Resorts International has rolled out Oncam’s 360-degree technology solutions to the Aria, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Mirage and New York-New York properties along the Las Vegas strip. More specifically, the surveillance team at the Aria manages more...
Successful video infrastructure management requires visibility into the network’s behaviour The importance of video in an organisation has been growing over the past several years, almost exponentially. In retail, video images can help detect or deter theft by employees and patrons. Casinos use video partly due to state regulations, to ensure gaming activity is free of deceit or fraud. Branch offices use video to communicate with the head office. Schools use video for di...
With the power of new technology and analytics, security systems could be used in other ways as well Security and surveillance systems are valuable beyond strictly providing compliance in the casino market. Even beyond ensuring physical security on premises outside the casino floor, systems are providing additional benefits including customer service, marketing and profitability, says Maureen Bruen, vertical market specialist – gaming, Honeywell Security Products Ame...
In casino surveillance, there must be an understanding of the behaviour of thieves and cheats. In particular, casinos must understand how the behaviour of a casino adversary differs from that of a legitimate guest. The end result of the understanding is that only threatening or fraudulent behaviour is challenged, leaving other guests free to simply enjoy their visits to the casino. Responding to behaviour anomalies requires understanding that comes from analytics capabilities...
See larger image The 4K pixel density allows two times the digital zoom of a full HD 1080p camera CCTV cameras with higher resolution have proven their worth in casino settings. Now, 4K security cameras are gaining ground thanks to their ability to achieve full frame rate, which is required by many gaming jurisdictions. 4K is definitely the next resolution standard for casinos in the coming years, says Ron Grinfeld, director, global vertical marketing, DVTEL. DVTEL 4K ca...
Large busy casinos must maintain continuous surveillance of multiple tables and machines High-definition (HD) cameras are a perfect fit for the casino market. HD security cameras provide six times the resolution of analogue cameras, supplying images with sharper edges that easily identify faces, cards, dice, chips, currency, and fill slips. In addition, high-definition IP cameras can reduce camera count. A single, 1080p camera can effectively cover poker, roulette or craps tab...
Video surveillance systems are extensively used in the casino market, but ironically casinos are more often than not behind the curve when it comes to installing newer security systems. Video technology adoption in the casino market has recently slowed down because of the economy. Analogue to IP migration The economic downturn slowed the analogue-to-IP transition process of video surveillance technology used in the gaming market, says Laurie Smock, vice president of sales,...
With so much money flowing in and out in the form of cash and chips, casinos are a highly regulated world when it comes to security. One of the most critical areas of casino security is key control. Physical keys are used for access to all of the most sensitive and highly secured areas of the casino, including counting rooms and drop boxes, so the rules and regulations that relate to key control are extremely important to maintain tight control and minimise loss and fraud.&nb...
Traditionally, security systems have been designed with the cameras in mind first then with added consideration for the infrastructure and cabling components. But this is old-school analogue thinking. Milestone Systems CEO Lars Thinggaard states that a security system can be designed for more than just protecting assets by starting with specifications for digital video management software (VMS) at the core of the solution. By thinking 'digital', an IP network video system can...
A systems integrator can guide the selection of appropriate technologies to accomplish set objectives, leaving nothing to chance In this article, Laurie Smock-Jackson, Vice President of Sales at North American Video, explains that an experienced and knowledgeable system integrator is a valuable partner who can help casino management make the best choices for security and surveillance and get the most from its budget. It used to be that closing a sale simply entailed c...
One alternative purpose for a 360-degree camera is the ability to provide a panoramic view in a wall-mounted orientation Surveillance cameras that capture 360-degree images are unique. However, cameras with technology that enables a user to retrospectively track an incident back in time are even more unique. This combination provides customers with total situational awareness—a field of view much larger than the capability of narrow-field, fixed-view cameras. In this art...
The changes to the economic climate over the past few years have affected the construction industry as a whole, and the booming casino industry was naturally affected as well. While there are still new casinos being built, overall the scale of construction does not approach the mega-casinos that have dominated the industry for the previous twenty years. Many of the new builds today are smaller casinos with different budgets and requirements of past projects. In addition, existing c...
Casino operators are among the most pro-active and demanding users of CCTV surveillance. IP Video systems are an ideal solution for this industry, but it's important to specify a well-designed system warns Oliver Vellacott, IndigoVision's CEO. A quality casino surveillance system is an essential business tool used to resolve gaming disputes, monitor public safety and detect fraud, cheating and theft. The very nature of the gaming environment where patrons and staff intermingle and handle...
