2008 Canadian Gaming Summit


Sponsors

The Canadian Gaming Summit is the only conference and trade show in Canada
that serves the Canadian Gaming Industry. This annual event delivers face-to-face interaction with senior-level decision makers directly involved in purchasing gaming-related products and services. Summit attendees are from all gaming sectors, disciplines and regions within Canada and beyond. Attendees include Senior Gaming Executives from Provincial Lotteries, Casinos and Race Tracks, First Nations, Slot and Table Games, Procurement, Operations, Entertainment, Marketing, Security, Charitable Gaming/Bingo, HR, Finance and Investment, Legal and Regulatory, F&B and more.

The conference program for the 2008 Canadian Gaming Summit is the most comprehensive educational program ever assembled. The latest information and resources covering all aspects of the gaming industry are packed into three days.

The Summit will bring together experts and professionals from all sectors of the gaming industry to present the most current and relevant information.

Gaming Summit Program Schedule

Tuesday, April 29
 
9:00am–4:00pm Canadian Gaming Summit Golf Classic
Sponsored by:
Concurrent Educational Sessions
1:00–1:50pm New Responsible Gambling Tools to Increase Patron Awareness
This presentation will address the research and development of two new responsible gambling tools that have recently been packaged in one double sleeve case and launched in Canada.

Gaming companies are looking for simple, accurate ways to explain randomness and house edge to their patrons. The Insider’s pack provides an entertaining and interactive glimpse into these two concepts. The package can be used in a variety of ways, for example distribution to Loyalty Club members or through awareness events. The Insider’s pack is also an excellent resource for staff orientation and RG training.

Presented by:
Laurie Bell, Director of Prevention Programs, Responsible Gambling Council
 
1:00–1:50pm Building the Corporate Brand:
How to Stand Out from the Crowd
(or How to Become a Brand-centric Organization) 
All brands are not created equal. The best ones invade permeate an organization, and become much more than a logo or a tag line. Today’s savvy consumers are looking for authenticity. This session will provide insight on how today’s organization’s can walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Hear from seasoned branding professionals about how to integrate your brand into all levels of the organization and build brand champions. Debate some of the latest trends. Listen to strategies for reflecting your organization’s brand promise in organizational policies, philanthropy, media relations, employee communications, community relations, and investor relations. Leave with some insights on building a brand-centric organization and establishing deeper, longer-term relationships with your customers, clients and audiences.

Moderator:
Howard Blank, Vice President, Media & Entertainment, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
 
2:00pm–2:50pm Media Relations: Cutting through the Clutter
(or Getting Beyond the Spin)
Headlines. Cutlines. Editorial boards. Pitching. All of these terms make media relations sound like foreign territory to the uninitiated. But good media relations is about common sense, good planning and understanding different perspectives. This session provides an inside look at working with the media: who they are, what they pay attention to and what they expect. It also covers the rights and responsibilities of organizations in dealing with the media. Hear from our experienced media relations panel on how to effectively get your message out, how to pitch a story, how to answer tough questions, and how to respond in times of crisis. And when the story doesn’t go as planned, get some tips on how to respond. Today, with most messages filtered through the media, this session will give you insight on planning for media relations and forming good relations with reporters and editors – whatever the topic.

Moderator:
Howard Blank, Vice President, Media & Entertainment, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
 
2:00pm–2:50pm Essential Skills for the Gaming Industry
Essential skills are the foundation skills employees need to function effectively in their positions and to grow to meet future needs in the gaming industry. Join us to learn more about Essential Skills for the Gaming Industry and a national project that will unite gaming operators as we address the employee challenges of the future.

Moderator:
Judith Hayes, Director of Employee Services, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation

Panelist:
Matt Eldridge, Business Officer, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation
 
3:00–3:50pm Special Keynote - Allan Gregg
The Harris/Decima National Gambling Report is a unique consumer research study that explores gambling behaviour and attitudes of Canadians towards the issues that shape gambling policy decisions. This comprehensive report highlights emerging issues and trends in order to help gaming managers anticipate changing market conditions. The results will also shed some light on where the future growth opportunities and barriers lie.
Sponsored by:
 
6:30pm–8:30pm Canadian Gaming Summit Opening Reception
Sponsored by:
Wednesday, April 30
 
7:30am–8:30am Canadian Gaming Summit Opening Breakfast
Sponsored by:
8:30am–9:00am Canadian Gaming Summit Welcome
 
9:00am–10:00am Opening Keynote – Gary Loveman
Gary Loveman is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
Sponsored by:
10:00am–10:15am Coffee Break
Sponsored by:
Concurrent Educational Sessions
10:15am–11:15am
How Prevalent is Problem Gambling?
Beginning around the mid 1980’s jurisdictions located throughout North America began conducting research to determine the prevalence of problem gambling. Today, hundreds of problem gambling prevalence studies have been completed worldwide. So what have we learned from all of this research? This presentation examines the results from over 100 such studies with a view to understanding the prevalence of problem gambling across time and jurisdiction.

Presented by:
Jamie Wiebe, Ph.D., President, Factz
 
10:15am–11:15am Reinventing Your Property In A Tight Financial Market
Financial capital is not flowing as easily as it was. Larger property expansions may still be appropriate, but owners and operators should also evaluate the value of smaller renovations and retrofits as opportunities for market repositioning. This panel will evaluate both large scale expansions and smaller amenity upgrades recently completed or planned for Canadian gaming markets from a planning, design and construction perspective. Panelists include industry operators, architects, interior designers and owner representatives.

Moderator:
Bob Kelly, President, Innovation Project Development

Panelists:
Gordon Mackay, Mackay Wong Strategic Design;
Zenon Radewych, WZMH Architects;
Peter Goudron, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
 
10:15am–11:15am The Power of Open
There is no doubt that the power of the open network will transform how you do business. Bringing the power of the Internet to the casino floor can help you enhance the player's experience and differentiate your property - resulting in increased revenues and lower operating costs.

Javier Saenz of IGT will share with you IGT's perspective on what this new technology means for the casino floor of tomorrow.

Presented by:
Javier Saenz, Vice President of Strategy for Network Systems, IGT Network Systems
 
10:15am–11:15am Attracting and Developing Talent in the Food & Beverage Sector
Moderator:
Michael Sherwood, Lock Search Group

Panelists:
Peter Zukow, General Manager, Lock Search Group;
Brian Munson, Vice President Resort Operations, Casino Windsor
 
11:30am–12:30pm The HALO Effect of Great Labor Management
Labor generally represents the largest cost component of a gaming organization’s operating budget. Yet relatively few gaming operators try to optimize this critical resource.

Casinos that lack a comprehensive labor management strategy typically operate between 60 to 70 percent of their potential productivity. The “HALO Effect of Great Labor Management” will provide examples and techniques that can be applied to every area of your organization. By implementing this labor management strategy, a casino to operate at or near 100 percent productivity.

Even a small improvement in labor productivity can mean huge results to a company’s employee morale, levels of guest satisfaction, and of course, your bottom-line profits.

Presented by:
Steve Cannon, President, CANNON Business Inteligence
 
11:30am–12:30pm The Value of Amenities
This session will discuss today’s casino and resort amenity options, including how each has the potential to generate revenue for your property, and how they should be sized appropriately in Canada’s unique gaming markets. Panelists will also discuss how amenities are financed today and other considerations for owner’s from the lender’s point of view. Panelists include industry operators, property managers, and industry banking entities.

Moderator:
Paul Girvan, Managing Director, The Innovation Group

Panelists:
Duncan Brown, Markinch Consulting;
Nick Eaves, President & COO, Woodbine Entertainment Group;
Paul Newton, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority;
Peter Goudron, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
 
11:30am–12:30pm Effective Table Games Management

Managing table game operations to match customer expectations while ensuring operators are maximizing profits within the area they service. This session will include ideas on optimum table opening plans, table limit management, product selection process, table game system short comings, poker player base management and player / customer longevity.

Presented by:
Cameron Uhren, VP Gaming Operations, Ontario Gaming and Lottery
 
11:30am–12:30pm A View From the Top...Off the Record
A candid summary of challenges, opportunities, growth prospects and potential legislative changes as identified by leading CEOs in the Canadian Gaming Industry. HLT Advisory conducted a series of interviews with these industry leaders and will share the results on an "off the record" basis.

Presented by :
Lyle Hall, Managing Director, HLT Advisory Inc.;
Robert Scarpelli, Managing Director, HLT Advisory Inc.
 
12:30pm–1:30pm Delegate Lunch
Sponsored by:
12:30pm–4:00pm Canadian Gaming Summit Tradeshow
Thursday, May 1
 
7:30am–8:30am Breakfast
Sponsored by:
Concurrent Educational Sessions
8:30am–9:20am
Financing & Strategic Alternatives for Middle Market Canadian Gaming Operators

Without access to the high yield market, middle market companies use a variety of alternatives to capitalize their balance sheets.

The middle market tends to provide a more steady stream of capital for borrowers.

Hear from panelists on what financing and strategic alternatives are available to Canadian gaming operators.

Moderator:
David McFadgen, Analyst, Cormark Securities

Panelists:
Matt Sodl, Managing Director, Innovation Capital LLC;
Edward M. Tracy, Chief Executive Officer, Tracy Group;
Anthony Novac, President, Sonco Gaming Inc.,
Michael Wagman, Managing Director, Clairvest Group Inc.
 
8:30am–9:20am E-Learning: Customer Service
In the world of gaming, customer service is what helps our properties stand apart. Our unique environment sometimes makes learning effective customer service skills a challenge. Through the use of e-learning find out how your new employees can begin developing foundation customer service skills immediately using a management coaching approach.

Moderator:
Judith Hayes, Director of Employee Services, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation;

Panelists:
Matt Eldridge, Business Officer, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation
 
8:30am–9:20am Reducing Energy Consumption and Costs in Gaming Facilities
Moderator:
Frank Cammalleri, Manager, Energy Engineering Services, Direct Energy Business Solutions

Panelists:
John Marhong, Director Facility Services, Woodbine Entertainment Group
 
8:30am–9:20am
 From Enforcement to Assistance:
Evolving Best Practices in Self-Exclusion
While self-exclusion programs are a feature of many casinos world-wide, there is little research identifying what makes such programs effective. To address this need, the Responsible Gambling Council conducted a Review of Self-exclusion Programs and discovered many ways in which the process of self-exclusion might be improved.

The Review uses several sources: literature and policy review, survey of Canadian self-exclusion programs, qualitative and quantitative data collected from focus groups with people who have self-excluded, interviews with Canadian self-exclusion program administrators and findings from an international expert forum.

Results from the Review show that currently, self-exclusion programs are often based primarily on enforcement. However, self-exclusion may be more successful if it placed more emphasis on helping those who self-exclude achieve their own goals. The Review offers a number of suggestions touching on most aspects of self-exclusion.

Presented by:
Monica White, PhD, Director, Research and Best Practices,
Responsible Gambling Council
 
8:30am–9:20am Security-Lottery Ticket Fraud Investigations
Independent, high profile examinations have recently exposed weaknesses in lottery ticket sale and redemption processes causing organizations to rethink how alleged redemption fraud should be investigated. Join a panel of experts discussing the problem and recent solutions from several jurisdictions to ensure your organization is protected.

Moderator:
Dan Sanscartier, Executive Director of Security and Surveillance, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation

Panelist:
Terry Towns, Director of Corporate Security, British Columbia Lottery Corporation
 
8:30am–9:20am Charitable-Transforming Gaming to a New Social
Experience, Through Innovative Wireless Technology,
Game Design and Even Alternative Venues
Gaming in a movie theatre? Playing a game show in a casino or bingo hall?

It’s all about appealing to both new and existing customers by parlaying a completely new entertainment experience within attractive venues (movie theatres, modernized bingo halls, casinos and racinos).

This session will focus on what’s been happening, and can happen, when existing non-traditional infrastructure is leveraged with creative game design, branded content and advanced technology platforms to create a total Entertainment Experience.

Moderator:
David Aronoff, Pareto Consulting

Panelists:
Aaron Silverberg, VP, Marketing, TimePlay Entertainment Inc.
Brad LaDouceur, VP, Alternative Programming, Cineplex Entertainment LP
 
9:30am–10:20am Hurdles in Gambling Research: Social/Economic Costs
As citizens and governments in Canada and elsewhere debate the merits of introducing and/or expanding casino gaming, the research to inform decisions is scant. Published research is fraught with methodological problems, and current research underway is likely to exhibit the same problems. As a result, empirical estimates of costs and benefits from expanded casino gambling are often completely arbitrary. This talk focuses on difficulties in social and economic research, with a focus on the cost side of the equation.

Presented by:
Douglas M. Walker, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, Department of, Economics & Finance, College of Charleston
 
9:30am–10:20am Workforce Trends and Talent Management – Implications for the Gaming Sector
This program will discuss a variety of Player Development programs and opportunities including Hosts, Player’s Clubs, e-Communications, Promotions and Focus Groups. Panelists will include both internal and external consultant marketing representatives for regional gaming operators.

Moderator:
Ian Cullwick, Principal, Deloitte Consulting

Panelist:
Vincent Trudel, Chief Operating Officer, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
 
9:30am–10:20am Increasing Business Performance
As a business leader you live in a world of perpetual motion, operating your company and improving it at the same time. Every day you make tough decisions to improve your company’s performance and, ultimately, create value for your shareholders. The current market volatility is placing even more pressures on management and on company performance.

This workshop will take you through a process to identify and focus on the key value drivers to improve performance. There are many things you can do to improve performance, and you clearly cannot and should not pursue all of them. What’s important is to focus on the things that matter most and then choose practical ways to get them done.

Presented by:
Brad Hutchings, Canadian Gaming Leader, Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Panelist:
Richard Carson, Partner, Deloitte Inc.
 
9:30am–10:20am Future of Game Design
An in depth look at the gaming floor of the future, from technology to game design. Our panel will give you glimpse of what the future holds.

Panelist:
William Cormack, Creative Director, Global Games Executive R&D, Aristocrat Technologies
 
9:30am–10:20am I-Gaming Regulations
The popularity of online gaming continues to grow Internationally. American attempts at a prohibition have proven costly and failed to deter players from wagering through the internet. Other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom have taken a decidedly different route and elected to regulate and license internet gaming providers. With regulation come many potential protections for consumers and financial benefits for government and other stakeholders.

This presentation will examine the challenges and opportunities facing
policy makers, provide an overview of the regulatory model used to legalize
online gaming in the UK and offer insight into what lessons Canadian
jurisdictions can learn from their experience.

Speaker:
Frank Catania, Catania Consulting Group
 
10:30am–11:20am The Top 5 Things Gaming Operators Should Assess (or Reassess) in Today’s Economic Climate
A must attend session for casino Executives, a panel of Canada’s top industry analysts, advisors and operators will outline the most important considerations management should review, address and anticipate in today’s economic climate to maximize efficiency, obtain the greatest return on investment and secure the bottom line.

Moderator:
Steve Rittvo, President, The Innovation Group

Panelists:
Lyle Hall, Managing Director, HLT Advisory
 
10:30am–11:20am Branding for the Rest of Us
One of the many challenges in managing your casino marketing is adapting to the many changes that shape the brand. Consumer behavior, competitive strategies and regulations push the brand from the outside, and the casino itself engages in a variety of activities, changes in strategy and focus that push the brand from the inside.

In the face of all these forces, it’s a challenge to effectively manage the brand — let alone be proactive and enhance the brand.

Can branding work with the reality of your business?

In this session, explore how others have succeeded in achieving brand consistency and how that momentum can help solve your marketing problems — even help you deliver quick turnaround for promotions and advertising.

And how to manage the need for consistency with the need to be new. After all, every brand, especially entertainment brands like Casinos, need to excite and surprise audiences all the time.

Presented by:
David Bellerive, The Phoenix Group
 
10:30am–11:20am Managing Your Slot Operations
Managing slot operations, understanding how to ensure the product you provide to your customer maximizes profit while being mindful of the pros and cons related to the products vendors provide today. This session will include slot utilization as a key driver against slot revenue, product measurement on customer experience to ensure you are maximizing entertainment experience to value, slot floor layout ideas and concepts and vendor management.

Presented by:
Cameron Uhren, VP Gaming Operations, Ontario Gaming and Lottery
 
10:30am–11:20am Security-Privacy and Biometrics – A Balancing Act
Organizations across the country are embracing biometrics as a way of protecting assets and information but what does privacy legislation have to say about collecting personal information on our employees and our customers? Is there a right and a wrong way?

Moderator:
Dan Sanscartier, Executive Director of Security and Surveillance, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation

Panelists:
Michael King, Director of Surveillance, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation;
James Moore, Vice President, iView Systems
11:30am–1:00pm Canadian Gaming Industry Executive Roundtable
Please join us for our annual Executive “Town Hall” Panel, hosted by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, moderated by Canadian Gaming Association CEO Bill Rutsey and featuring many of Canada’s most senior gaming executives. The topics will be those coming out of a series of confidential interviews conducted by HLT Advisory Services with public and private sector gaming CEOs across the country. The Panel will discuss and exchange views on what’s on everyone’s mind today and looking towards the future – from operations to regulation. This will be an informative and must attend event for anyone interested in the issues being faced by gaming in Canada today and the outlook of the Industry’s leaders for the future.

Moderator:
Bill Rutsey, President & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Gaming Association

Panelists:
Marty Klyne, Chief Executive Officer, Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation;
Gerry McLennan, Chief Executive Officer, Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission;
Marie Mullally, Chief Executive Officer, Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation;
Adrienne O'Pray, Senior Vice President, Atlantic Lottery Corporation;
Gerry Boose, Vice President, Corporate Security & Corporate Secretary, Manitoba Lottery Corporation
Hosted by:
12:30pm–4:00pm Canadian Gaming Summit Tradeshow
 
1:00pm–2:00pm Delegate Lunch
Sponsored by:
5:45pm–10:00pm Canadian Gaming Summit Awards Reception
& Charity Gala
Reception Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
Gala Entertainment Sponsored by:
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