CCTV Systems Keep Customers, Employees Honest Whatever CCTV equipment a jurisdiction allows, all regulatory boards have the same goals: to ensure the integrity of the game and revenue reporting process. Gaming commissions want to read the cards and denominations of chips, as well as watch the play and money drop. Past posting, 10-percenting, sliding dice and a player putting extra chips on a winning roulette number are some of the many other illicit activities often captured by CCTV equipment.

Patron misconduct, however, isn't the only threat to casinos. Approximately 50 percent of a property's losses can be attributed to internal theft by employees and collusion between casino employees and outsiders. The cash-handling positions are particularly susceptible to internal crime. Other employee wrongdoings often uncovered by cameras include the watering down of drinks, drinking on the job, drug use, loitering and embezzlement by midlevel and even upper management.

Space, Storage and Speed Make DVRs More Attractive In order to keep better track of this illegal activity, many casinos are gradually adopting DVRs. Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle to widespread adoption of DVRs is price. Despite the cost issues, many casino surveillance directors understand they will eventually need to adopt digital technology because of its overwhelming advantages, such as minimal maintenance.

Another advantage DVRs have over VCRs is the fact that tape storage is eliminated. This factor is one of the primary reasons so many surveillance directors switch to digital. Also, the size of the actual units may be smaller than VCRs. For example, recently at Harrahs Ak-Chin Casino Resort in Maricopa, Ariz., Sanyo units were installed in the casino's expansion because two of the Sanyo DVRs fit in the footprint of one VCR. Harrahs chose the Sanyo product because the casino could add on units at a piece-meal rate, rather than all at once.

Casinos Don't Want to Search Through Hours of VCR Tapes Locating a recorded event quickly is another important DVR plus. With valet parking, for example, casinos often get claims about damaged cars and require some method of proving or disproving prior vehicle damage. With a DVR, management can quickly play back video of when the car in question entered to determine if the person is making a false claim or not.

Although DVRs are relatively new to the casino market, other aspects remain remarkably constant.

Cameras, for the most part, are still analog and the same matrix switchers that have been available for the past several years are still being used. Some gaming institutions, however, are adopting Cat-5 cabling/LANs as opposed to traditional coax or fiber-optic cable. Presently, either type of system will support the new CCTV equipment coming on the market, which many believe will migrate from being completely analog to analog/digital hybrids. There are some manufacturers out there, however, that are providing solutions that can be completely digital.

Proper Cameras, Placement Prevent Lighting Problems When it comes to cameras, most casinos must contend with hot spots, glare and flashing lights, all of which can cause overexposure or underexposure. Harrahs Ak-Chin management likes the Sanyo cube cameras for these types of conditions. The Panasonic dome camera system (WV-CS854) is another option for severely contrasting lighting conditions.

Camera placement can also resolve some lighting problems. For example, a camera shooting straight down may get a reflection off a card. In addition, this camera view will not allow the operator to see how many chips are in a stack. A better option might be to cover the gaming table in a cross-firing configuration. This position also offers better views of players' and dealers' faces.

Cage areas, where money transactions take place, require some of the most extensive coverage, including facial shots. Coverage of slots is also key, especially considering the fact that 70 percent to 80 percent of a gaming area's revenues and 60 percent of a casino's crime happens in those areas. Pickpockets can be particularly problematic in slot areas.

The biggest concern most security directors have right now, however, does not involve customer crime. It involves internal losses and collusion. That is why cameras must show the faces of customers and employees. Covert and wireless cameras are another good option and many casino surveillance directors are asking for these products.

Another great reason for choosing covert cameras is aesthetics. Even if internal losses aren't a concern, patrons don't want to be reminded that they are being watched. If a camera can be cleverly disguised, or at the very least be unobtrusive, then customers remain content. Attractive appearance is particularly important in elevators with expensive cabs.

Boats, Older Facilities Sometimes Experience Power Problems Camera selection, lighting and placement in casinos can be daunting tasks on their own, yet when there are severe power problems, like those experienced in older facilities or on gaming boats, ghosting can be an issue. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) should eliminate spikes if it is regularly maintained and the lines are regularly conditioned.

Although there is no way to eliminate the need for power and casinos have been forced to find innovative ways of solving these issues, other supplemental, noncritical technologies, such as facial recognition, have not worked out as well as many had anticipated. Facial recognition is still experiencing a lot of bugs and is too expensive for many casinos to adopt at the present time.

Automation, too, has not performed as well as expected. For example, with cameras that interfaced with the slot data systems, when there was a jackpot on a certain machine, a dome camera would turn around and target the winning machine. Unfortunately, if that same camera were being used by a surveillance operator who was following a pickpocket, the automatic system would pull control from the operator, thus foiling his or her pursuit of the suspect. Because of incidents like these, many gaming establishments are phasing out or modifying their automation systems.

Other Casino Departments Play an Important Role in Security Despite the challenges involved with biometrics and automation, casinos are relying on other technologies and aggressive accounting practices used in conjunction with CCTV to reduce losses and improve productivity. Spread sheets from table games can pinpoint profitability exceptions that tell security directors where to look. The same approach can also be used in casino retail stores and restaurants, resulting in hefty savings. In one case, a CCTV system caught a waitress who casino management determined was responsible for losses of $200 to $300 per day for eight years (approximately $400,000).

Casinos Coming Out of a Slump, Greater Opportunities Ahead Losses like these make compelling cases for digital CCTV equipment upgrades. In the past few years, however, the casino market has been affected by the current economic slump. The recession has made security directors and integrators work harder for every upgrade.

The gaming industry, however, seems to be coming out of a slump. According to Dore, "Right now things are starting to turn around and we're getting a lot of calls. People are trying to plan their capital budgets for 2004. The majority of the time the call is, 'Can you come out, evaluate our system and talk digital with us?'"

Robert Grossman is president of R. Grossman and Associates in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.
This column was originally published in the September 2003 issue of Security Sales and Integration magazine. Material copyrighted and the property of Security Sales & Integration and Bobit Business Media, with all rights reserved.