| Osage Casinos decided to implement five Traka systems, including four L-Series key cabinets |
Reporting and uniform key system procedures for streamlined casino operations
Casinos all over the world face a variety of challenges and difficulties, with regards to reporting, processes and key system procedures. For a casino to maintain successful operations in the midst of securing large sums of money and other assets, accountability of keys is absolutely critical.
Whether it's a large-scale operation or smaller casino, advanced key management and procedures are an invaluable part of asset protection. They allow employees to be on the same page, making sure cash and important assets are cared for at all times, while preventing internal losses and other possible risks.
For Osage Casino, consisting of seven locations, as well as an executive building and close to 1,500 employees, operations were affected because reporting wasn't centralised. It was spread throughout seven independent systems and there was no uniform key system procedure to follow. For their casino, keys are used around the clock and operations would be impacted without any accountability for them. In order to avoid this, a new system or software to streamline the processes was the logical solution.
Facing the difficulties of decentralised key reporting
"We needed to meet or exceed our required processes in order to meet or exceed Federal, State and Tribal laws, rules and regulations"
The casino was experiencing many obstacles in operations. While these challenges didn't present any major risk to employees or customers, a lack of uniform key system procedures was preventing the casino from attaining a higher ROI. The casino was seeing a number of difficulties with their current setup, including:
- Decentralised reporting
- High downtime
- Inefficient processes
- No uniform procedure for key control
Osage Casinos were also in need of upgrades to meet and exceed compliance rules with federal, state, gaming and tribal laws. They needed systems that would be able to generate crystal reports for key reasons, audit reports for sensitive key releases, as well as upgraded daily reports for the gaming commission.
With options in the asset protection and key management market, the Osage Casino ultimately chose to implement Traka because of their ability to set up regional key systems under a global administrator for auditing and reporting purposes. Traka also offered them reverse pairing, which would allow the casinos to fully comply with the laws, rules and regulations.
Expanded benefits with Traka implementation
To overcome the operations challenges, Osage Casinos decided to implement five Traka systems, including four L-Series key cabinets and another M-Series version, all with Sagem Biometric Readers. They manage over 600 keys to table games, slot machines, cash drop boxes, as well as numerous facilities and onsite maintenance vehicles.
Each cabinet employs reason code logging to identify specifically why a key has been taken, and requires different users to enter a reason code before the key is released. For example, if a user is returning outside of regular hours, they would enter the given code. Then, crystal reports can be generated for each reason, which is required for compliance with the Tribal Gaming Authority.
"Traka systems have been maintenance-free, problem-free and easily accessible by authorised key users for the centralised reporting we needed."
The cabinets also have multiple authorisations for keys that are the most sensitive, requiring three identifiers on the biometric reader before being released (usually a team member and then two authorisers from security).
The Traka key cabinets offer Osage Casinos even more benefits, including:
- Email notifications for sensitive keys
- Enhanced protection from theft
- Higher ROI
- Remote access for internal auditors
- Fault & mileage logging for complete vehicle tracking
The implementation process began with the casinos doing pre-research and getting a great basic understanding of the systems. Traka then stepped in for an initial two-day transition for installation. Then, with training and learning for casino employees and administrators, Traka helped complete a full implementation in just two weeks total.
At the Osage Casinos, Traka's systems are overseen by two individuals known as global administrators, along with seven other employees who are considered basic administrators. The global administrators are experts and maintain the systems, while basic administrators have access to standard operating procedures for different times of need.
"Traka systems have been maintenance-free, problem-free and easily accessible by authorised key users for the centralised reporting we needed" |
Accessibility and expansion to assist casino operations
"Traka systems have been maintenance-free, problem free and easily accessible by authorized key users for the centralized reporting we needed."
Since completing the transition period, Traka systems have been a source of great positivity throughout the casinos. For authorized key users, a main point of importance was the simple retrieval and returning of keys that was made possible with the key cabinets from Traka. The exclusive key designation has also been a popular feature for the casino's key users.
For the regular casino staff, like croupiers and security guards, using keys is a part of managing cash on a daily basis. With misplaced keys or other internal losses, the staff faces consequences and the casino loses money. Employees were previously accustomed to electronic key systems, but they've thoroughly enjoyed the biometric process with Traka's solutions and in comparison to previous systems, the Traka key boxes are large and spacing makes for easy access during critical moments.
The safeguarding and process improvements are definite upgrades in key and asset management, making life easier for the employees and generating greater ROI for the casino as a result of a decrease in losses. Traka's crystal reports, iFob/key time controls, employee identification for returns and instant notifications have been a vital part of this security improvement. Also, policy enforcement and key control processes have become even more stringent as a result of email and return by different user notification.
Centralised reporting is now a part of the environment at all seven Osage locations and throughout the 1,500 employees on staff. They are also reaping the benefits of naming and auditing processes that are now uniform, instead of separate systems at each location.
Because of the strong success and reception throughout the casino locations and executive buildings, the company is planning on adding key cabinets at seven additional casino properties under their ownership, along with the capability for system maintenance from a central location. They are also very interested in implementing RFID lockers for managing radios and ASSA ABLOY Medeco e-cylinder technology throughout the facility in the near future.