SECURITY: Counting the ways IP video technology benefits casinos
by Gadi Piran
February 11, 2013
IP systems are improving the effectiveness of video for surveillance and
business applications in the casino and resort environment.
While some casino regulations
have tempered the full-scale adoption of IP systems for the gaming floor, their
value as a security/surveillance technology cannot be denied. Let’s look at
some of the evolving benefits of new IP systems, and how they can make security
and surveillance at casinos better than ever.
• Easy to use and dependable.
The newest technology in the user interface for
video management systems (VMS) is less complicated than previously available
and provides only the important information the operator needs. High-resolution
video presented in a usable format is vital to the casino environment and VMS
platforms can now provide information to users in a prioritized and selective
manner. The user gets only the video he or she needs—and gets it when, where
and how it is needed. Better awareness enables better decision-making and
faster reaction to urgent situations.
Systems are more dependable, too. Multiple streams can enable greater
redundancy required by gaming commissions. A camera’s feed can be directed to a
primary and a secondary video server simultaneously to ensure redundancy. For
example, if a video feed goes down, the gaming table must close, which means
lost revenue for the casino.
• Convenient access to video.
In the proactive surveillance environment of the
gaming market, convenient access to information is essential. User-friendly VMS
enables access to multiple video views from various angles and also simplifies
access to recorded video. Investigative tools make it easy to view an event
after the fact. Time-slice thumbnails can pinpoint an event, and smart search
motion detection can be configured to the speed and size of a moving object.
Another important tool for a casino surveillance environment is a
kinetic motion timeline. This timeline is color-coded to highlight periods of
detected motion and recorded video, giving gaming operators the ability to zoom
in and out of the timeline and scale it to any desired time interval, then
swipe it with their mouse to quickly review multiple cameras over an extended
period. Such capabilities make it easy to review a dispute at a gaming table,
for example. More efficient investigations save valuable time that operators
can spend instead on live monitoring.
• Simplified administration.
New VMS systems provide flexible assignment of
user rights and privileges, which can enhance the use of surveillance and
security systems and improve internal procedures. For instance, a single
platform can host both surveillance cameras in the gaming area and security
cameras in non-gaming areas, with camera views partitioned to comply with
gaming regulations. The combination of more cameras and more users creates an
almost endless number of variables related to camera access and other system
rights. In the past, system administrators faced an onerous task to keep the
system updated and functioning as intended. New video management capabilities
now simplify and centralize administration of user rights. Options to assign
system rights are more granular, and the use of group privileges simplifies the
process. Privileges can be assigned to groups or individual members or
batch-assigned based on entire camera groups.
• More software capabilities.
Newer software has more functionality and expands
system capabilities. Software systems are constantly being integrated with
other third-party suppliers, offering additional functionality ranging from
license plate recognition to new video storage options. Software-enabled
systems can monitor a larger number of cameras and sites more efficiently. The
latest software versions feature the widest possible selection of driver packs
for various camera models.
• Useful as a business tool.
Non-gaming security applications include
monitoring employee accidents, slip-and-fall claims or other incidents, and
video management software features contribute more value than ever in these
applications. New video analytics capabilities can also be used for people
counting (to ensure compliance with maximum occupancy restrictions) or to
monitor queues at hotel registration to alert when another workstation should
be opened. Video analytics can create a virtual tripwire to alarm if someone crosses
into a restricted area. Motion detection can provide an alert if a package is
unattended, or if a valuable object is moved. Video can also be tied to a
point-of-sale (POS) system or to exception reporting software that highlights
questionable POS transactions and can provide related video of each
transaction.
IP video systems have significant advantages for casino and resort
applications, including more flexibility, expanded capabilities, and clearer
and higher-resolution images. They also require less space by reducing the need
for recording and storage hardware, and are often cost effective.
Gadi Piran
is president of OnSSI, a Pearl River, N.Y.-based firm
that is creating a new era in video surveillance in which intuitive software
seamlessly connects and improves security processes and makes up for the limits
of human capacity. This is driven by the modern world’s need for proactive,
results-oriented security solutions that can help to prevent incidents, instead
of merely record them. Intuitive, automated features of the software combine
multiple alarms into meaningful alerts, which results in better security and
less need for operators watching screens, and this in turn lowers operating
costs. He can be reached at www.onssi.com.
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