The site of the next internationally known Slot Academy co-sponsored by the University of Nevada, Reno might surprise some gaming professionals looking to increase machine revenue.
The three-day course, led by Slot Academy founder Lucien Wijsman, will be Jan. 15 -17 at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Okla., about 100 miles north of Dallas.
“A lot of people think (the academy) is just overseas. It’s not,” said UNR Program Coordinator Heather Cole. “We can take it anywhere we want.”
The Durant session, which offers credits toward a UNR Certificate in Gaming Management, will focus on the use of analytics and marketing to improve slot machine profit. Cole said the presentation targets casino slot managers and slot manufacturers wanting to learn more about the operational side, but the course is open to all. The cost is $2,800.
Other Slot Academy sessions are planned this year in the Netherlands, and Cole said one is being considered in Macau. UNR partners with Clarion Events in sponsoring the academy.
Choctaw-Durant boasts more than 700 rooms, 4,300 slot machines, and a full range of table games, plus a spa, movie complex, bowling alley, and arcade.
Cole said many attendees are surprised to learn of the ways that slot analytics and marketing can be used together to attract players.
“As a slot manager, you don’t really think about (marketing). That’s not your area,” Cole said. “But they do need to think about that. How they market things, how they push their products is a huge thing for them, because that’s what gets people on their floor.”
Cole said the Slot Academy, which is offered several times a year, is part of UNR’s emphasis on education in casino operations, which also includes surveillance and table-game management.
“We do not do dealer training,” she added. “It’s strictly operational.”
UNR says it has awarded more than 1,000 certificates in gaming management since introducing the program in 1989. The certificate requires at least 90 hours of non-credit classes plus a paper examining the gaming industry in the jurisdiction where the student works. Courses are available online and at UNR’s Redfield campus.
Online: Courses typically are offered once a year and last a month. Subjects include financial management, food and beverage operations, human resources management, strategic casino management, casino operations, marketing and leadership. They are designed for entry-level managers and those hoping to move into management positions.
Short courses: Lasting one or two days, these focus on Title 31 (anti-money laundering regulations), cage operations, financial accounting and analysis, and marketing.
Weeklong courses: Topics include table-game management, surveillance operations, and slot operations.
