March 12-15 Game Protection Conference to Focus on Security Threats in light of Vegas Shooting, Robberies, Cyber Attacks

February 21, 2018 6:04 PM
  • Buck Wargo, CDC Gaming Reports
February 21, 2018 6:04 PM
  • Buck Wargo, CDC Gaming Reports

Willy Allison already had changes in mind for this year’s World Game Protection Conference in Las Vegas.

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A growing number of armed robberies and threats, both physical and cyber, against casinos, followed by the Oct. 1st mass shooting on the south Strip which left 58 dead and more than 500 injured, had verified a new focal point for the 13th annual conference that runs from March 12 to March 15 at Bally’s Las Vegas.

“Over the last 12 years, we’ve focused on game protection and cheating, stealing, advantage play, that kind of stuff,” says Allison, who founded the conference in 2006 with his wife, Jo. “Last summer, we decided to expand the scope and broaden our horizons to include all sorts of threats: physical, security and cyber. Over the last year or two, there have been a lot more violent incidents in Las Vegas. We thought it was important to cover all the threats, and then Oct. 1st came, and that sort of cemented that theory.”

The conference, which has been expanded this year from three days to four, will feature Larry Barton as one of the keynote speakers. Barton is one of the world’s leading experts in crisis management and threat assessment and has taught courses at the FBI Academy and U.S. Marshals Service.

“Five months after the worst mass murder and public shooting in American history, casino security leaders, law enforcement, and victims’ families are still searching for answers as to what could have and should have been done differently to prevent an unprecedented massacre,” Allison said.

There are hundreds of issues that are forcing changes in how properties plan special events like corporate meetings and concerts, Allison said: security guards under short-term contract, surveillance cameras installed by both the hotel and perpetrator, and the relationship, if any, between the property and gunman/player, among others.

“The big three questions- ‘what did you know, when did you know it, and what did you do about it’ – form the basis of this rare presentation by the most respected behavioral threat assessment in our industry,” Allison said.

“This is an extraordinary moment in the evolution of gaming and public safety, and we have landed the most highly-regarded authority on the issue to kick off our program.”

The conference, which has addressed the issues of the day since its founding, is a show for casino professionals, including regulators and law enforcement bodies, Allison said. It’s not open to the public.

“It’s just for the casino industry, and that’s one of the things that sets us apart from the other shows,” Allison said.

More than 800 people are expected for the conference and the accompanying expo. The show has grown every year, and registrations are ahead of last year’s pace, Allison said.

The expo will have more than 30 vendors showcasing the latest in video and security systems, identification and other technology, including systems to detect active shooters and weapons. One of the new vendors is Crotega, which sells an interior threat suppression system designed to deter, disrupt and delay active shooters and other threats in a building until law enforcement arrives.

Patriot One Technologies, another new vendor, will showcase a Cognitive Microwave Radar concealed weapons detection system designed to combat active shooter threats before they begin. The system is installed in hallways and doorways to identify weapons and alert security of potential threats.

Also different this year will be featured discussions centering on active shooter situations.

“We’re going to have a new segment called Casino Strong in which vendors that have new products get up on stage and talk about how these new products can help make casinos safer,” Allison said.

This year also marks the first time the show will use Bally’s Jubilee Theater, which holds 600 people, for its general sessions and keynote speakers.

Besides Barton, other speakers include Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired magazine and author of the bestselling The Inevitable: Understanding the Technological Forces that will Shape our Future, who will give a talk about pending technological breakthroughs.

Another is Adam Kucharski, a mathematician and author of The Perfect Bet: How Science and Math are Taking the Luck Out of Gambling.

Becky Harris, chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, will give the opening remarks at a dinner reception for women in the industry.

The sixteen educational sessions on offer during the conference include: Active Shooters, Crisis Preparedness, Hotel & Event Security, Table & Electronic Game Protection, Slot Machine Forensics, Anti-Money Laundering, Risk Exposure, Cyber Defense, and Surveillance Practices.

In addition to a discussion on the Las Vegas mass shooting, general session topics include Slot Machine RNG Cheating, Emerging Casino Threats, International Game Protection Update, and the Most Popular Scam of the Year.

The regular rate for the conference and expo is $1,195, with lower rates for groups and expo-only attendance. Register at http://www.worldgameprotection.com/register/ or at (702) 407-9900, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PST.