Page 80 - Security Today, March 2017

Soaring Eagle
Casino deploys 360-degree surveillance coverage to combat fraud, optimize business operations
By Jumbi Edulhebrum
Spanning 210,000 square feet of table games, poker, slot machines and bingo, Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich., is owned by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and serves as a re- treat for visitors who are looking to experience relax- ation and entertainment. The safety and security of guests and em- ployees are paramount to the tribe, and with 24/7 operations, officials needed comprehensive surveillance of the entire gaming floor.
Lights and Action
Nothing says gaming like the bright lights and large casinos of Las Vegas, so when Anthony Clark, surveillance director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, was looking to upgrade Soaring Eagle Ca- sino’s surveillance system, he patterned the move after those adopted by MGM Resorts International.
“Ted Whiting from MGM was instrumental in our decision to putting our current system in place,” Clark Said. “And he spoke high- ly of the technology that Oncam produces.”
Soaring Eagle Casino sought out a complete security solution that would allow operators to track an individual easily in the event of an incident. Additionally, the casino wanted the ability to add analytics capabilities to streamline business operations, manage traffic on the casino floor, and assist with marketing and promotions. This multi- department collaborative approach increases return-on-investment and the overall value of the system.
Tracking an Investment
Clark discovered Oncam through a video that featured the use of the company’s 360-degree video surveillance cameras in the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
“I could see that tracking was so much easier,” Clark said. “And the
views from the cameras resulted in more cost-effective investments.” Working with their integrator, Soaring Eagle Casino identified several locations where the 360-degree coverage would render most beneficial for operators, including across the main gaming floor area and covered passageways that are heavily used. The casino installed 12 Evolution 05 indoor cameras, replacing multiple PTZ devices with the 360-degree systems, which are designed for quick and easy indoor
installations through a lightweight professional enclosure.
The EVO-05 contains a 5MP sensor that offers HD resolution and a video stream of up to 30fps, which provides Clark and his team with smooth tracking capabilities while maintaining high-quality im-
ages that the casino requires for forensic evidence.
Being Cost Effective
“Every year, we look for a more cost-effective way to find more cover- age without the additional cost,” Clark said. “The investment in the 360-degree technology was cost-effective because of the number of inputs we replaced, as well as the quality of video for tracking pur- poses. The camera enclosures are small, and this is a covert option that looks like any other smoke detector that someone would have on their gaming floor.”
Installation of the camera technology was streamlined, and Clark said it was truly a “plug and play solution,” since the EVO-05 doesn’t require lens focusing. The EVO-05 also has no moving parts, so it requires no ongoing maintenance, which can significantly decrease the cost of ownership of the cameras.
Clark also looked at the ability to integrate with the VMS that was already in use, which was the same one implemented in the Aria installa- tion. Oncam partners with a large number of VMS manufacturers that can integrate easily with the 360-degree camera technology through the ONVIF Profile S global standard for IP-based physical security prod-
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0317 | SECURITY TODAY
CASINO SECURITY