“TransAct kicks off 2019 with a strong start at ICE London”

(Exclusive interview).- Tracey Chernay, Senior Vice President, Global Casino, Gaming and Lottery at TransAct, talked with Focus Gaming News about the company’s performance at ICE 2019.

In order to start the year on the right foot, companies must set a good performance at ICE London, the biggest event of the gaming industry. TransAct once again participated at the London event and set yet another impressive performance.

Tracey Chernay, Senior Vice President, Global Casino, Gaming and Lottery at TransAct, talked with Focus Gaming News about the trends that the company perceived at the show and what the future will bring for TransAct.

How did TransAct experience the biggest edition yet of ICE London? What were the biggest trends that the show left to develop throughout this year?

We always have a fabulous showing at ICE London, and this year was no exception. Given that this was the largest edition of the show thus far, we were fortunate to have been able to spend quality one-on-one time with many of our partners, clients and colleagues from all over the world. We are also pleased to have met many new prospects who were eager to learn more about our “Epic” line of gaming products and the Epicentral Software System. 

Sports betting was a huge focus of the show and TransAct’s line of Epic printers garnered a lot of attention as a result of their use by most of the major sports-betting kiosk manufacturers and gaming OEMs. We have many customers using the Epic 880, in particular, to print sports betting slips as it provides ultra-reliable, roll-fed printing of different size betting slips and a presenter that prevents player interference with the slips as they print. This proven solution continues to please our customers and partners as they find new opportunities for sports-betting kiosks in many global markets.

Another of the recurring topics that we noticed at this year’s show was the UK’s commitment to encourage responsible gaming. We are familiar with the UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) goals and its recently announced plans to reduce gambling harms. TransAct supports this initiative, and we are fully equipped to assist with the use of Epicentral, the company’s enterprise-level promotion and marketing software suite. Through Epicentral, casino operators can communicate directly with players while they are at the slot machine, allowing them to deliver customized promotions and messages, including responsible gaming messages and reminders. I am delighted to report that our customer, the Hippodrome Casino in London, is a leader in this effort and has implemented this practice with much success and excellent player acceptance.

What was the feedback from visitors on TransAct’s Epic Edge and other products? 

Our visitors were very impressed with the Epic Edge’s industry exclusive 300 DPI print resolution. This feature provides the highest quality rendering of fonts in multiple languages by a thermal printer to fit the needs of all casino market across the world. The high-grade resolution is perfectly designed to deliver razor-sharp barcodes and crisp messages on tickets, such as the printed promotions or responsible gaming reminders.

We are confident that as casino operators experience the quality, advanced features and reliability of the Epic Edge, our numbers will keep growing.

In addition, we received a lot of positive remarks regarding the printer’s firmware downloading solution, which has been upgraded to a full speed USB 2.0 connection. This feature is very convenient because it allows the printer to quickly download software updates maximizing uptime. A micro SD card slot has also been added for the ultimate in convenient firmware updates on the casino floor, saving slot operators even more time.

As TransAct said, Casino, Gaming and Lottery represented approximately 50% of the company’s revenues for 2018 last year. What are the strategies to keep on growing that number?

We predict that the release of the Epic Edge will continue to increase TransAct’s market share, casino presence and ultimately our revenue, as we expect the Epic Edge to be integrated in all slot machine types in 2019 and specified by casinos who desire the latest technology and the best quality tickets. Additionally, as previously announced to Focus Gaming News, the Epic Edge will be released ahead of schedule due its selection by a major east coast casino operator later this year. We are confident that as casino operators experience the quality, advanced features and reliability of the Epic Edge, our numbers will keep growing. 

As always, we will continue to provide the utmost level of customer service, as it is paramount to our success. We would not be where we are today if we weren’t committed to listening to our customers to ensure we make the best product possible and to provide unparalleled post sale service.   

Sports betting is the main topic for the industry right now and casinos are including betting sectors on their floors. TransAct’s Epic 880 printers are being chosen in those installations such as the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. After ICE London, is TransAct focusing on further developing technology for the sector?

TransAct is always looking to break new ground and provide leading market-specific product for the gaming industry. We continue to expand and refine our product roadmap to include a full line of printers to address many applications. Sports betting is just one of the many applications that we address with our line of Epic printers.

As always, we will continue to provide the utmost level of customer service, as it is paramount to our success.

What is the next step for TransAct this year?

TransAct has a busy schedule ahead as we plan to attend three European based trade shows in March; Ireland Gaming, Enada, and Feria International. These shows address specific European markets where TransAct continues to grow our already robust presence. We will also participate with a sponsorship at the ASEAN Gaming Summit in the Philippines in March where will reach many customers, prospects and partners. 

April brings the NIGA show in San Diego for the Native American market followed by G2E Asia in May. G2E Asia is our largest show in in the Asia-Pacific region and with our strong established ties with the casino industry in Macau, we look forward to reconnecting with our customers in that market each year. 

June continues our global coverage trend with the Canadian Gaming show and the Washington State based WIGA show.

Products-wise, the launch of the Epic Edge will be a major highlight as OEMS continue to approve it and casino customers begin to specify the Epic Edge in all their new game orders. Finally, as sports betting is approved in multiple states of the United States, we expect our Epic 880 printers to continue to gain traction throughout 2019 and beyond. The future is exciting, and we have our customers to thank for that!