Excerpt from Pulp Fiction

VINCENT:  It's the little differences. A lotta the same stuff we got here, they got there, but there they're a little different.

JULES:  Examples?

VINCENT:  Well, in Amsterdam, you can buy beer in a movie theatre. And I don't mean in a paper cup either. They give you a glass of beer, like in a bar. In Paris, you can buy beer at MacDonald's. Also, you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

JULES:  They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?

VINCENT:  No, they got the metric system there; they wouldn't know what the heck a Quarter Pounder is.

JULES:  What'd they call it?

VINCENT:  Royale with Cheese.

JULES:  What'd they call a Big Mac?

VINCENT:  Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it Le Big Mac.

JULES:  What do they call a Whopper?

VINCENT: I  dunno, I didn't go into a Burger King…

That's exactly it; the little differences. Only when you get to Macau, the cultural differences you notice on the streets and in the stores suddenly shrink in comparison when you enter Macau's gaming surveillance world. Differences so incredible and stark in contrast you may find it hard to believe we all do simply catch bad guys; some just do it drastically different. 

My Trip To Macau

I was fortunate last month to spend an extended vacation in Macau. During my stay I had the further great fortune to have been hosted by five different surveillance leaders at some of the largest game properties in Macau and Taipa, Macau. I had heard (as many others in our industry had) the gaming volume and monetary level of play in Macau was excessive by our standards - there was no way for me to have been prepared for I witnessed.

Rather than describe what I experienced by describing details of the operations or surveillance rooms I was fortunate enough to be given a tour of, I will simply outline the process and philosophies that astounded me during my tours. This is in professional observance of the confidentiality we all profess and I will strongly honor in the next few paragraphs.

To explain the differences and the diverse twists on surveillance in resort properties in Macau in comparison to those in Las Vegas you have to first understand that many of the concepts employed in Australia to protect property assets are the basis for surveillance operations in Macau. Trace many of the ideals that glare at you as you run head-on into them and you will discover, as I did, that many of them actually trace back to Australia and the surveillance professionals who have migrated from Down Under.

Las Vegas operations do not even come close to the size and table game numbers found in Macau, so a comparison is simply unreasonable. But you will find that Macau surveillance operations address the needs of protection, both proactive and reactive with a balance of resources in manpower, utilization of technology and good ol’ investigation efforts.

There are many aspects about Macau gaming which have controlled how the surveillance operations have grown and adapted to their needs. In the last seven years, with the growth from American and Australian based gaming companies, the offerings in each property have grown substantially. Sitting at the top in size and volume is the Macau Venetian which currently has over 700 table games. That may take a minute to sink in, it did for me. And the runners up in size and table game volume aren’t far behind; setting a new bar and standard by which to staff a viable surveillance operation.

Technology

The foremost technological advancement that I witnessed throughout the rooms in Macau was system integration. A strong backbone foundation in each room flowed around bringing the various platforms of intelligence systems (CMS = Casino Management Systems, SDS = Slot Data Systems, Table Ratings Systems, etc.) directly into the surveillance operation and interfacing them with various surveillance tools such as reporting and database platforms and digital recording. Automation is the key in allowing various thresholds (betting, win/loss, variances) within the systems to dictate directly to the surveillance daily log software. With the additional integration of the digital recording platform; many reporting functions actually bypass the Surveillance Operator and are recorded and alarmed to alert the operators if necessary. This simply stated concept (although clearly not simple in execution or design) freed up operators to keep their eyes on monitors.

While each room I visited didn’t carry the same high-tech bells and whistles, there was a general focus at the concept of system integration; some rooms simply had newer software versions. Still this was a strong concept in each property regardless of the scope of the actual integration.

Although there were many other technological “use” advancements, most were focused around the simple concept of allowing the operators to focus on their objectives through the cameras, yet allowing them to receive as much information through the property’s systems as possible. This allowed the operators to focus on live observations while creating a multi-faceted database for extensive review based investigation. Simply put; the Surveillance Operator follows what he or she needs to, often directed by the incoming “priority” information through system alarms or alerts, instead of distracting phone calls. In the result of an event (investigation or indication of major loss) the various systems connectivity and interface with the digital record platform make a full-on investigation quicker, more efficient and further reaching that the same manual efforts in lesser connected environments. It’s simply fantastic.

Smart Technology

One consistent element of modern gaming technology that is a staple of the Macau gaming environment, yet hasn’t seemed to find it’s market in Las Vegas (may be at some properties) is the “smart shoe”. Due to its ability to read card values, one form or another of a smart shoe seemed present on every table where multi-decks were used. Add the functionality of instantly analyzing the card draw from these shoes against the rules of a game and you have a system tool that quickly automates the catching a dealer error phenomena through an alert, and so much more. Even more of an analytical dig; the Win/Loss volatility can be investigated through the shoe’s card order and all of this time synced to associated video. This complicated yet effective integration is a great example of how the Macau surveillance operations have armored themselves against the throngs of scam, cheats and advantage play.

Adding even more flavor to the intelligence, Macau’s surveillance and table games operations keep the most stringent card control process imaginable, and yet they have whittled the process down to a fine investigative tool. Every deck and multi-deck is barcode scanned and often “vaulted” (placed into a plexi-glass container with its own barcode) and scanned to the vault. When each deck travels from the manufacturer through to the various locations in a Macau gaming property to its eventual destruction it is scanned and its location databased. A deck moving into a surveillance department will be scanned and digitally logged as many as four times before it’s inspection on camera. So, should a large loss be suffered at a game and to a certain shoe, the smart shoe, secure card process and analytic tools all integrate to form a solid investigative basis leaving no stone unturned.

Monitoring Priorities

The priority in Macau surveillance rooms is much as it is in our Las Vegas based rooms. It simply is “where the money is at”; the VIP and High Limit tables, drop processes, soft count, and financial areas. But it was clear to me that every aspect of a gaming property that can get attention from Surveillance will get that needed attention in the Macau rooms as well. Each room is segregated, although not in a physical sense. Even in many U.S. based surveillance rooms the decision is made to assign operators to watch certain aspects of the property. There might be a designated “cage” observation console, or designated “security issues” observers. In general this holds true for the Macau operations where they assign those important areas as well, but with the emphasis towards the true high volume and short time threats of the higher action table games volatility.

Gaming Volume Challenges

So you might wonder just how a property’s surveillance operation deals with the challenge of monitoring hundreds of gaming tables, many of which offer high-end play. It may begin with increased staff and monitoring consoles, but any and all improvements that can employ are employed to improve the effort. They use some common tools such as Table Manager Software as mentioned earlier, but there are some severe differences in Macau that assist in this capacity.

When you enter into the gaming area of most casinos in Macau you will pass through a “choke point” often including a metal detector. This affords the obvious protection elements, but also a prime opportunity for well positioned facial video of each patron. In the high-end gaming areas the Surveillance Operators are tasked with identifying many of the patrons through the use of these facial cameras and databasing styles of play, known associates and historical data. Taking these facial photos and associated data even further, the operators and management of these surveillance operations create database level records of these players for use in the future so that while the names and play of the thousands of high-end players cannot all be memorized, they will have the information at their fingertips when needed. This information is not only stored and grown with additional information but used to alert each shift of Surveillance Operators of pending visiting known players. Many of the rooms utilize the very basic, but brilliant concept of installing monitors throughout the rooms with photo slide shows of incoming player faces and information as well as current cheat and advantage players. Some rooms have taken great efforts to determine perfect locations for these monitors to act as active and passive image reminders to staff as they move about the surveillance room.

Training

Most significantly a successfully achieved task in Macau, yet a need understood by EVERY gaming surveillance professional world-wide is the need for training. Both initial and on-going training is at an emphasized high in Macau (and one of the aspects clearly brought from Australia based operations). In my opinion, this emphasis may even be before that of “catching bad guys”. By this I mean the struggle to establish and maintain on-going training that we may often find here in the States is simply not felt in Macau as their shift structure, staff levels and sheer focus at training overcome the obstacles before they begin to develop.

In Macau, new Surveillance Operators face an average of 8 to 10 weeks of initial “classroom” training before being lead into the surveillance monitor room. That training focuses on the basics and intricacies of what they’ll be watching and investigating for, but then they move on to an additional period of training in surveillance room operations. This is not a static formula amongst all of the properties and it obviously varies depending on the property and the individual feelings of the surveillance leader. But the seemingly consistent feeling is “Training First”. The larger operations that I visited had rooms set up for all aspects of table games to surveillance operations training. Many of them even carried some of the operations training into the surveillance monitoring rooms with shadowing programs which extended the new hire training up to a few more weeks.

The on-going training in the Macau surveillance operations is aided by mandatory 9+ hour work shifts. This creates natural overlaps in the schedule which affords the training time. Each room seemed to utilize this very efficiently. Constantly reviewing games procedures, documented scams, cheating and advantage play techniques as well as support department policies and procedures – each Surveillance Operator is afforded many hours a month in on-going training.

Macanese Work Ethic

There is a natural reaction when a “suit” walks into a surveillance room, for operators to sit erect, the focus of each eye sharpened and frozen at their monitors and the slight tension of concentration weighing on the cool air. But this is the standard for each of the operations I visited in Macau. Don’t get me wrong; I expect that and desire that behavior in my own operations, but we all have the elemental slouchers, talkers, chair-swivelers and easily distracted Agents. What I saw in the Macau operations however was a different mentality in work ethic. Each operator a statue staring at monitors. I inquired about this to a couple of my hosts and learned that while we are all human, there is a distinct work ethics difference in Macau; more specifically in the young Macanese. It is important to mention that the countries government mandates very distinct ideals which have a direct affect on this incredible behavior. All front line employees must be natives and the middle management of the operations is regulated to give the locals priority. In addition, the educational process in Macau carries a strong emphasis in developing eager and ready “students” and upon graduation many of these young adults can set their sights on gaming positions.

Scams and Cheating

Without a doubt one influence towards the reason that Macau surveillance operations are as advanced as they are, beyond benefitting from a thriving gaming economy, is due largely from the Australian influence and fantastic work ethics. However the atmosphere in Macau since the explosion of western style gaming has always had a strong influence from the darker side of our industry. Due to the presence of a centuries old criminal element they’ve been hit by every scam and cheat method and are often the training ground for the new and upcoming “tricks”.

In honor of our industry’s mantra “to make the procedure stronger than the move”, it becomes obvious that previous “hits” have played a big part in the way games are conducted and protected in Macau. While this isn’t any different from the rest of the surveillance operations around the world, the Macau operations have suffered at the hand of their tremendous volume and high stakes games and a strong thriving element of many who employ ultra-crafty means to circumvent the procedures. They may also be the target of both new and old scams simply because it’s easy to hide amongst the thousands of gamers that pass through their doors each day.

Most recently the reports of scams involving collusion and body-worn cameras leapt from many Asian countries starting with Macau. Also recently they’ve seen the card hold out (mucking) devices and a crafty cut card scam which has stimulated theories of deeper dealer-agent collusion practices and has the potential to be employed world-wide and spawn deviations. Simple thefts to complex “Ocean’s Thirteen” scams have plagued the Macanese gaming market, but the properties are not hesitant to employ any and all means to progressively learn and protectively grow in response to each incident.

Scams such as these have been a staple of the Macau market, but the leaders of the surveillance operations there employ an age old tool to develop the investigations around major scams. They immediately communicate with each other to pool their resources. Each operation has a “special investigations” team whose main charge is to rally and draw the elements of video, paper trails, intelligence and investigative efforts when major scams surface. The output by these teams is then carried into meeting with the Directors and Vice Presidents of Surveillance as they collective hunt for the acts and behaviors associated with the scam. This process from “indication” to final determination is efficient, creative and quick. Clearly this is a process that should be emulated in every surveillance community.

Different Environments

So why the vast differences in gaming protection between Las Vegas and Macau based surveillance operations? In my opinion it is the simple and obvious answer of money. However, not in the same context as might normally be assumed. In booming gaming markets in Asia,(Macau being the only example I've minimally witnessed) the properties make such a high level of operating income via gaming that the gaming focus is; 'how do we protect our money". From that; the protective systems (Surveillance, Audit, Security, Finance, etc) may be afforded resources that truly assist in protection. On the other end of the spectrum you might find “us”, and perhaps somewhat fueled by our capitalist underpinnings; we are at the declined state of “we can only spend money if it helps us make more”. As we all know Surveillance doesn’t actually generate revenue (we can’t even sell our used videotapes any more – there are no buyers!) so the justifications to use money as a resource for increasing protective systems are harder to bring to fruition.

That doesn’t mean we can’t learn from our brothers and sisters in Asia. The strides they’ve made are too incredible to dismiss simply because we can’t “buy” them. Within their successes are elemental freebies such as proper mindset, fierce dedication, stalwart emphasis on training (both initial and on-going), and perseverance in finding resolutions to investigations and using that information to become better and more efficient at protection efforts. We need to (unless you already have) begin a culture shift in our “Surveillance Ways” here in the States to push training to the front of our focus and intelligence gathering, along with system integration; to the position of standard operating procedure.

The concept of drawing information into the surveillance department, from everywhere and anywhere, and then finding a way to integrate that into our system may eventually take lengthy investment to finish – but it starts with a philosophy. Philosophy is really cheap because it costs nothing to attain, and the only resources needed to cultivate are time and perseverance. If the philosophy of “every system moves through Surveillance” is started now, eventually it will become a standard. While the physical connections and software licenses will cost, those funds will become part of the development process because eventually everyone will understand, “Surveillance get’s that system too”.

Through fortification of proactive technologies and systematic evaluation of these systems and the produced results, the surveillance leaders in Macau have found a niche answer to our common overbearing odds. By encompassing these strategic philosophies and seeking technologic advancements to act as filters; the highly trained eyes employed at the consoles are at the helm of an integrated web of proactive and investigative protection. Simply put; they’ve used technology to lessen the gap of protective need and training and incredible work ethic to fuel their very successful efforts.

My sincere gratitude and respect to the surveillance leaders in the Macau gaming industry who graciously hosted me and my incessant questions, during my visit to their properties. I professionally owe them each a debt of gratitude for teaching me so much in a very short period of time:

Jesse Silva, Director of Surveillance, Bally's & Paris Las Vegas

A big thanks to:

 Peter Wilson, Executive Director of Surveillance Operations, MGM Macau 

Nathan Fisher, Director of Surveillance, Wynn Macau 

Rod Walker, Director of Surveillance, City of Dreams, Cotai-Macau 

William "Bill" Bonar, Vice President of Surveillance, Venetian Macau

William “Bill” Page, VP of Surveillance, Galaxy Entertainment Group (Star World)       

Contact Jesse Silva: lksilva@Caesars.com | Forward to Friend