Page 26 - Security Today, March 2019

Double Down on Casino
Security
Strobe, LED and dim lighting can’t deter network cameras from their appointed tasks at the
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa By Steve Darragh
Like many gaming venues, the lighting scheme at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Oklahoma fo- cuses on creating an atmosphere of fun and excite- ment. While this works well for attracting patrons, it presented challenges for nearly 2,000 analog surveil- lance cameras trying to protect the property. With up to thousands of people enjoying more than 2,600 electronic games, 40 table games, a poker room and a concert venue on any given day, the casino realized it needed more advanced IP-based cameras specifically designed to cope with the challenges of a casino environment.
Casino Lighting Compromised Video Clarity
“Implementing a new system allows us to better meet the operational needs of the property,” said John Underwood, surveillance technol- ogy manager for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. “Some of the bars and nightclub areas are very dimly lit. The concert and en- tertainment areas use strobes and spotlights during shows. Some of the gaming machines have LED lights that twinkle; some have really bright strobe lights on top. Our analog cameras were not giving us the clarity we wanted or expected with the advancement of technology.”
The overhead lighting was washing out the video. In the parking lots, flashing emergency lights from first responders, vehicle head- lights and exterior floodlights resulted in a blur.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa decided it was time to turn the tables on surveillance footage. The surveillance team began a second- ary build out of network cameras capable of compensating for any lighting condition while delivering exceptionally high-quality record- ings of every casino activity. When the new system was completely installed, they simply turned off the live view of the old system and began running the new one.
“We never had to shut anything down during the switchover,” Un- derwood said. “And we have the flexibility to gradually remove the old cameras during off hours.”
The House Outsmarts
Scammers with Cameras
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa has had its fair share of people looking to make an easy buck. Thanks to the cameras, the venue is able to proactively and reactively respond to people displaying inap- propriate behavior.
Network cameras in the cashier area deliver such clarity that it is easy to distinguish between bill denominations. In the parking lot, cameras help to provide evidentiary quality video even with ambu- lances and patrol cars flashing their lights. The auto-tracking and auto-touring options in many of the cameras provide added safety to
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