The news that the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, which opens in May 2008, will feature high-speed Ethernet capabilities for a fully networked casino floor powered by Bally Technologies, involving at least 1,500 slot machines, brings the date closer when operators benefiting from this technology begin the inevitable replacement of slot machines on casino floors.

The mood for change was certainly there during last November's G2E at Las Vegas, when as many as 76% of industry CEO’s surveyed in Future Watch Survey 2007 agreed that within five years between 20-60% of the gaming floor will consist of server based or downloadable gaming machines. Charles Norton, Portfolio Manager at US investment firm Vice Fund commented: “We’re about a year out from a monster replacement cycle”.

Indeed, the debate on the benefits and advance of server based technology is going at full tilt on a global scale. At a conference during Latin American's leading gaming expo SAGSE 2007 in Buenos Aires, Sebastian Salat, International President of WMS Gaming, Sebastain Callieri Managing Director of IGT Latin America, Enric Barba, Director of Gaming and Systems of Unidesa and John Connelly Vice President of Bally Technologies took part in the discussion ‘Server-Based Gaming: The future at hand,’ with immaculate presentations all round.

Commenting on the upcoming Server Based Gaming for Casinos Summit USA organized by Casino Tech Today, which takes place on June 25 – 26 at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas, Dan Ahrens of the Ladenburg Thalman Gaming and Casino Fund said: "Server Based Gaming systems are set to impact every Casino over the next 12-18 months, and those who are not braced for change will be left behind."

Ahrens concluded saying that: "Server Based Gaming for Casinos Summit is the only focused summit to discuss this technology in the depth it deserves. If you are involved with Casino operations, you simply cannot miss this opportunity to get up-to-date on this vital technology ahead of the replacement cycle - I am looking forward to it very much!" (E-04.04.08)

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