Gambling in the USA
Nevada-based CasinoSoft Hits the Jackpot With Anti-Money Laundering Software Package Built with Mendix Low-Code Platform
First-in-class tax and auditing application, built in just six months, enables casino industry to streamline workflow, reporting, and compliance with federal mandates
Mendix, a Siemens company and the global leader in low-code for the enterprise, today announced that CasinoSoft, a Nevada-based software development firm, has built a first-in-class, scalable compliance and taxation software package using the Mendix low-code platform. The package, ComplianceCore, digitizes and automates the extensive data collection and reporting required of casinos and card clubs operating under the U.S. Treasury Department’s anti-money laundering auditing rules, also known as Title 31 compliance.
Nearly 1,000 commercial and tribal casinos and card clubs in the United States comprise the $261 billion gaming industry. Those posting annual revenue of $1 million or more are subject to the same stringent oversight by the U.S. Treasury Department’s crime enforcement division, FinCEN, as are U.S. banks and other financial institutions. These federal regulations were put in place by Congress and strengthened after 9/11 to prevent criminal money laundering, terrorist financing, and other suspicious behaviors that would otherwise be obscured by the high volume of casino-based currency transactions. Fines for businesses not complying with FinCEN’s daily data collection and annual auditing requirements can add up to tens of millions of dollars.
“The majority of casinos are paper factories that generate massive piles of paperwork on a daily basis,” said Matt Montano, CasinoSoft’s CEO. “There is simply too much financial data coming from too many sources on the casino floor for employees to aggregate by hand and review. Regarding the casinos that do have enterprise financial systems, they’re often tied into backend legacy systems that are hard to update when technology improves or regulations change. Resource-stretched IT teams usually limit their upgrades of a casino’s  workstations to once every two years.”
CasinoSoft built the three ComplianceCore modules in just six months, from scratch, using the Mendix low-code software development platform. Low-code is a visual development approach to application development that enables developers of varied experience levels to create applications for web and mobile, using drag-and-drop components and model-driven logic through a graphical user interface. CasinoSoft chose Mendix particularly for its open architecture and its collaboration and rapid development capabilities.
“Mendix’s underlying architecture enables our solution to integrate all the disparate sources of data generated by casino operations into a Mendix-built backend,” said Montano. “We can deploy quick functionality enhancements on the fly and do system upgrades five or six times a year.”
ComplianceCore dramatically reduces the amount of time casino staff spends on data collection and reporting for each gaming “day” (equal to a twenty-four-hour period).
“Data that formerly required days to crunch and organize is now completed in two to three hours. This gives the staff more time to focus on enhanced due diligence and other suspicious activity,” said Montano. CasinoSoft’s software package has been deployed in 12 casinos nationwide.
Three Modules Tackle Federal Reporting Requirements
The ComplianceCore software package consists of three standalone modules:
- â Title 31 reporting package integrates disparate streams of financial transactions into a Mendix-built backend that is aggregated daily.
- â Tablet Tax Forms digitizes and automates the IRS reporting requirements of any prize or jackpot above a $1,200 threshold.
- â Document Automation automatically sorts and files scanned paper documents according to a player’s profile, account and federal filing status.
Zeroing in on Potentially Illegal Transactions
Casinos document every transaction above a minimum threshold, excluding food, beverages and merchandise. An individual’s aggregated daily spending of $10,000 or higher requires a Title 31 CTR filing. “Imagine trying to aggregate that from all the pit bosses and cage tellers into a single, cohesive property-wide log,” said Montano.
The ComplianceCore package also flags patterns that FinCEN classifies as suspicious activities. These include chip walking, which is when a player leaves without redeeming a large number of chips. Players who slowly redeem a large number of chips over a period of days are said to be structuring â perhaps to underreport IRS filings. Another red flag, called minimal play, is triggered when a customer buys a large number of chips with cash and places a few minor bets before cashing out a near majority of the chips. These behaviors may be an effort to disguise illegally received, traceable currency as a gambling win â in other words, money laundering.
Montano added “Casinos must intercede. They have no choice. Our platform gives casinos the tools and the horsepower to efficiently handle this regulatory burden.”
“We are glad CasinoSoft’s developers could leverage the Mendix platform to streamline and improve the industry’s data monitoring, aggregation and reporting,” said Johan den Haan, Mendix’s chief technology officer. “CasinoSoft’s ComplianceCore application package is a great example of how the truly open architecture at the core of our low-code platform enables developers to leverage core and legacy systems and data with brand new technologies that push the envelope of the possible. In today’s world, we know there’s no such thing as a free-standing, self-contained or isolated software application. A high degree of enterprise-grade interconnectivity is imperative to address ever-evolving needs within disparate technology landscapes.”
SOURCE Mendix
The hottest new game from Aristocrat Gaming, Phoenix Link, is now live on casino floors, with Yaamavaâ Resort & Casino being the first in North America to offer the highly-anticipated game. As the next evolution of the international hit game, Dragon Link, Phoenix Link features player-favorite mechanics from top games with all-new themes, features, and bonuses.
âWe have been humbled by the incredible global fanfare Dragon Link has received over the years but are never ones to rest on our laurels. The teams have been working tirelessly on a follow-up that brings together all the player-favorite elements in a new and exciting way with Phoenix Link as the proud result. We were thrilled to partner with Yaamavaâ to premiere Phoenix Link with flair, excitement, and celebration,â said Victor Duarte, executive vice president of product for Aristocrat Gaming.
Phoenix Link players will enjoy the gameâs additional denominations, configurations, and jackpots on each of the launch game theme titles. Gameplay features include Hold & Spin, Free Games with multiplier wilds or twin spin reels, Phoenix Mystery trigger, and more new bonus twists. Phoenix Link is available on the Neptune Single cabinet.
âYaamavaâ is thrilled to host yet another world premiere in gaming with the launch of Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming. Our Club Serrano members are already raving about this captivating extension of the player-favorite Dragon Link. Itâs a great addition to the Yaamavaâ gaming floor,â said Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamavaâ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, said.
Gambling in the USA
NOVOMATIC shines at G2E 2024: A street smart showcase of innovation and engagement
In line with its commitment to innovation, NOVOMATIC unveiled several ground breaking product launches that left a significant impact on the gaming industry. The V.I.P. Xâ˘Â cabinet series emerged as one of the main attractions, highlighting models such as the V.I.P. X Royal⢠1.85, V.I.P. X Dream⢠3.43, and the V.I.P. X Lounge⢠2.32. The crown jewel of the presentation was the V.I.P. Galaxy⢠2.65, setting a new benchmark for luxury cabinets with its perfect blend of comfort and state-of-the-art gaming technology. Featuring high-definition screens and immersive sound systems, the fully adjustable lounge design promises an unparalleled gaming experience, leaving customers eager to introduce these innovations onto their gaming floors.
The unveiling of a new LED wall as part of the DIAMOND Xâ˘Â series, including the DIAMOND X⢠1.55J, showcased the U.S.-style designed Piggy Prizes title. The modern and interactive design sent a clear message: NOVOMATIC Americas has fully arrived, enhancing its reputation for premium entertainment experiences.
Groundbreaking Progressives and a Robust VGT Lineup
NOVOMATIC introduced a variety of THUNDER CASH⢠GOLD Progressives featuring new titles like Charming Ladyâs Boom Coinsâ˘Â and Red Amazon Explosionâ˘. The Globe Link⢠Xtension Volume 1 & 2 also attracted considerable interest, marking a significant impact with several new themes. The excitement surrounding these progressive games was palpable, bolstered by innovative math models and enticing bonus structures.
The VGT product range received special emphasis, particularly with the Street-Smart-themed area dedicated to highlight the themes and flexible assortment of cabinet styles for markets in Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Georgia. This dynamic showcase reinforced NOVOMATICâs commitment to providing leading solutions in performance and player appeal within the VGT sector. Featuring both NOVOLINEâ˘Â and Magic HD customer favorite themes, this area showed the new game mixes on DIAMOND X⢠2.32, BLACK EDITION II 3.27 & BLACK EDITION II 1.49J, V.I.P. X Lounge⢠2.32 and FUNMASTER 2.27. Specifically in Illinois, featuring the Magic HD game mix consisting of the Overlay Magic Play Lock & Spin feature, and the new Poker3â˘Â multi-hand video poker mix. NOVOLINEâ˘Â games were shown on the Black Edition II 1.49J cabinet with popular games like ULTRA BOOSTâ˘Â and Money Partyâ˘Â themes. Georgia Skill showed three new game titles in the Magic HD mix while more new titles lined the streets of the NOVOMATIC booth.
Advancements in Sports Betting and Casino Management
In addition to its product line, NOVOMATIC showed their cutting-edge sports betting kiosks including the ActionBook⢠Edge 1.43J, and ActionBook⢠Plus 2.27 models. With advanced graphics and rapid processing capabilities, these kiosks offer operators unmatched flexibility and performance. The premiere of the award-winning NOVOVISIONâ˘Â casino management system was another highlight, leveraging biometric technology for enhanced player recognition and streamlined operations. Already acknowledged as a âBest CMS/Software Productâ at the European Casino Awards, this system generated significant buzz regarding its potential to revolutionize the gaming landscape.
Industry Recognition for Creative and Commercial Success
The combination of NOVOMATICâs innovative product launches and captivating booth design earned widespread acclaim. The company was recognized for its Street-Smart booth, praised for creativity, interactivity, and the memorable experiences it fostered. Industry experts and attendees alike hailed NOVOMATICâs presence at G2E 2024 as one of the most impactful.
Alexander Merwald, CEO at NOVOMATIC Americas, stated, “G2E 2024 was an incredible success for NOVOMATIC. We were proud to showcase the V.I.P. X⢠cabinet series â Our ‘Street Games, Street Smart’ focus resonated strongly, as we demonstrated how our tailored solutions meet the real-world needs of both casino and VGT operators. The response from customers reaffirmed NOVOMATIC’s position as a leader in delivering innovation, performance, and market-specific strategies for North America.”
Thomas Schmalzer, VP of Global Sales, and Product Management at NOVOMATIC AG, added, “The product diversity and innovation showcased at G2E 2024 have been enthusiastically received by both operators and players. Our V.I.P. X⢠series and extensive range of progressives reflect our unwavering commitment to delivering premium solutions to the global market.”
With new partnerships established and product placements secured at G2E 2024, NOVOMATIC is primed to expand its market presence across North America. The success at this yearâs expo signifies a vital step forward in the companyâs mission to set the standard for gaming entertainment.
Gambling in the USA
Century Casinos Announces Opening Date for New Land-Based Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville, MO
Century Casinos Inc. announced that its new land-based casino and hotel in Caruthersville, Missouri will open on November 1, 2024.
This news follows the Missouri Gaming Commissionâs approval to transfer the Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville gaming license from a temporary pavilion to the new land-based location.
The new Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville will have 599 slot machines and nine live table games, a 50% increase in gaming positions compared with the temporary location. The number of hotel rooms will double to 74. The construction of this new land-based casino and hotel started in December 2022 and will be finalized on time and on budget with an estimated project cost of $51.9 million, which has been funded by VICI Properties Inc. (VICI). VICI will own the real estate improvements associated with the Caruthersville project, which will become part of the Companyâs triple net master lease agreement with subsidiaries of VICI. Annual rent under the lease will increase by approximately $4.2 million.
The opening of the new land-based casino will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting event at 11:30 a.m. Central Time on Friday, November 1, and a flurry of activities over the opening weekend.
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