“We believe our technology will continue to be used well into the future”

(Exclusive interview).- Tracey Chernay, Senior Vice President, Global Casino, Gaming and Lottery at TransAct, talked with Focus Gaming News about the upcoming edition of ICE London.

The biggest and most expected event of the year for the gambling industry, ICE London, is only a few days away, as it will take place at ExCel London from February 5-7. Companies are ready to showcase their product and start the year in the best possible way. Tracey Chernay, Senior Vice President, Global Casino, Gaming and Lottery at TransAct, talked with Focus Gaming News and explained how important ICE is for the company, as well as current concerns and expectations for the year.

You’ve kicked off 2019 by attending several shows and conferences and ICE is the first big show on your schedule, what do events like this one mean for your business plan? 

ICE is our first big show of the year, and we always look forward to attending it because it allows us to catch up with our clients, make new business connections, and learn about the upcoming trends in the industry. The show also gives us the opportunity to hold strategic meetings with our European customers to ensure that their needs are being met and that they are aware of any new product features and upgrades. We take great pride in our printer and system solutions, and we are delighted to show attendees how TransAct can create the gaming floor experiences that achieve their target financial goals. We’re excited to be introducing the newly available Epic Edge and looking forward to sharing its expansive new feature set with all who have an interest in TITO printers – Casino Operators, Slot and VLT manufacturers, and other industry partners.

Last year you said ICE “put you on a great course”. Do you expect to perform as well as you did in the 2018 edition?

TransAct has undoubtedly been experiencing an upswing, and we expect the momentum to continue following this year’s ICE show. We’re pleased to say we have sustained year-over-year market share gains, generating a 62 percent year-over-year growth in our casino and gaming sales during the 2018 third quarter alone. In our most recently reported results, Casino, Gaming and Lottery represented approximately 50 percent of TransAct’s revenues for 2018 year-to-date. These numbers are clear indications that the value we provide customers has never been higher, and we’re excited to showcase the premium products behind these accomplishments.

We take great pride in our printer and system solutions, and we are delighted to show attendees how TransAct can create the gaming floor experiences that achieve their target financial goals.

In addition, we continue to expand the offerings directly available from our UK office which is delighting our European customers and driving additional business.

As the online market continues to take over the gaming industry, what are your main concerns as a printer manufacturer? 

We understand that technology trends can disadvantage a lot of traditional businesses such as ours. However, we view the online gaming market as a positive factor, as it will introduce young players to all types of casino games, which will possibly lead them to playing at slot machines for a more hands-on, interactive experience. Studies continue to show that millennials are keener to travel over previous generations and seeing as we have our products installed in hundreds of casinos throughout the world, we believe our technology will continue to be used well into the future. In the meantime, TransAct continues to build our software business as a complement to the extensive, over 750,000 TITO printers, we have installed worldwide.

Do you expect your business to evolve into something different due to the industry’s transformation? 

As an innovative company, TransAct is always looking ahead, which is why we have created Epicentral, a bonusing software suite that can target customers in real-time with unique, custom-designed coupons. The software system is an additional benefit to many of our customers who want to be able to do more than print a ticket at the EGM or VLT. Epicentral provides a way to communicate to players at the slot machine while the player is playing, allowing the casino operator to deliver intelligent drawing tickets, bonuses, loyalty incentives, food and beverage coupons, or even responsible gambling messages.

Studies continue to show that millennials are keener to travel over previous generations and seeing as we have our products installed in hundreds of casinos throughout the world, we believe our technology will continue to be used well into the future.

What are your expectations for 2019?

With sports betting continuing to increase in America, we are pleased to say that casinos are installing TransAct’s Epic 880 printers, which are used in established sports betting markets across the world. The latest installation can be found at the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Known for its reliability and flexibility, the Epic 880 is used extensively across gaming sectors where the most dependable, robust product is required. As the number of jurisdictions approving sports betting expands in the United States, TransAct looks forward to continuing to lead the path in this exciting gaming sector.

TransAct looks forward to continuing to set the standards high in both printing and software solutions.

We have also received excellent feedback on our Epic Edge casino printer, so much so that it will be released ahead of schedule due its selection by Wynn’s Encore Boston Harbor slated for opening later this year. The Epic Edge is truly one of a kind because it features a 300 DPI print resolution that delivers a 50 percent improvement over all current casino ticket printers. This upgrade provides an increased acceptance rate and razor-sharp barcodes. In addition, the Epic Edge prints dynamic graphics, includes a micro SD card slot that allows quick and easy firmware updates, and features an adjustable bucket that accommodates tickets of different sizes. To further help slot machine operators, the firmware’s update port has been upgraded to USB. TransAct looks forward to continuing to set the standards high in both printing and software solutions.

The gaming team will be on hand at Stand N2-302 and will be happy to talk through the range of products. To learn more about the Epic Edge, Epicentral and TransAct’s range of other premium gaming products, please visit transact-tech.com