Safe bet: Leveraging AI 

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in casinos is reshaping the gaming industry, streamlining operations, and elevating player experiences. OPTX, for example, leverages AI to monitor gambling behaviors, providing actionable insights that assist casinos in optimizing player engagement and operational efficiency. Gaming Analytics uses AI for deep analysis of player data, enabling casinos to fine-tune their operations and create personalized gaming experiences. These companies serve as examples of AI’s diverse applications in the casino sector, from data analysis and customer support to fraud detection and game customization. These advancements are pivotal in evolving casino operations, significantly enhancing the overall gaming environment.

Shaking Up the Casino Floor with Robotic Bartenders

The allure of robotic bartenders in casinos extends far beyond their novelty; it’s their efficiency and precision in crafting drinks that truly stand out. Brands like Cecilia.ai are pioneering in this space with robotic (and interactive) bartending systems that not only mix cocktails quickly but do so with consistent quality. These systems, capable of crafting a wide range of drinks from classic cocktails to custom creations, offer guests a 24/7 engaging experience that marries taste with cutting-edge AI. The introduction of such automated systems into the casino environment also infuses the casino bar with a sense of modernity and innovation, appealing to guests who seek unique and futuristic experiences. The presence of robotic bartenders like Cecilia.ai demonstrates how technology can enhance traditional aspects of the casino experience, making every visit memorable and ensuring that guests keep coming back for more.

Delivery Robots: Bringing Convenience to the Gaming Floor

Following the innovative trend of robotic bartenders, casinos are not stopping there; they’re bringing the convenience one step closer to the guests. With the introduction of delivery robots like Techmetics Robotics, and Pudu Robotics’ BellaBot, casinos ensure that guests no longer need to leave their gaming spots for refreshments, and instead have the refreshments come to them. These robots efficiently navigate the bustling casino floor, delivering drinks, snacks, and even cards or chips right to the players. This service revolution enhances guest satisfaction by blending advanced technology with the personal touch of uninterrupted service, making every casino visit exceptionally convenient and enjoyable.

Contactless & Self-Service Solutions

In an era where convenience and safety are paramount, contactless and self-service kiosks have become essential features in casinos. Companies like NRT Tech and OLEA are offering self-service solutions that streamline transactions and reduce waiting times. These kiosks enable guests to place bets, redeem tickets, and access information without direct human interaction, catering to the digital-first preferences of today’s consumers. Additionally, these systems facilitate sports wagers, allowing guests to place and manage their bets conveniently. They also integrate seamlessly with casino loyalty programs, offering players a streamlined way to access their rewards and benefits, enhancing their overall experience and encouraging repeat visits.

Looking for a change? Go Cashless

The casino industry’s shift towards cashless transactions is being accelerated by companies like FABICash and Acres Manufacturing, bringing unique innovations to the forefront. FABICash offers secure cashless solutions that simplify financial transactions for players and operators, enhancing the overall gaming experience with its user-friendly systems. Acres Manufacturing, on the other hand, introduces cutting-edge technologies that facilitate digital payments, streamlining operations and aligning with the digital economy’s trends. Together, these companies are pivotal in transforming casinos into more efficient, modern gaming environments.

Interactive Casino Tables

Interactive casino tables have made it to the list of tech trends shaping casinos by combining the thrill of traditional play with the advantages of digital technology. Jackpot Digital develops dealerless electronic poker and table games, enabling a dealer-free environment that’s both efficient, engaging, and available 24/7. Similarly, Interblock, the world’s leading developer and supplier of luxury Electronic Table Gaming, specializes in providing a wide array of electronic table games, such as the Smart Pit, which seamlessly blends advanced technology with traditional table games. These innovations signify a shift towards more dynamic and accessible casino experiences.

Cross Platform Casinos

The seamless integration of mobile gaming with physical casino experiences represents a significant trend. Mobile apps allow guests to manage accounts, book reservations, and even play games from anywhere, ensuring a consistent and engaging experience across digital and physical spaces. Companies like Light & Wonder (LNW) are leading the way in enhancing the gaming experience. LNW focuses on integrating gaming experiences across platforms, ensuring a consistent and engaging journey for gamblers, whether they’re playing from home or on the casino floor.

Smooth Operator: Casino Management Systems (CMS)

Casino Management Systems (CMS) are pivotal for modern casino operations, significantly enhancing efficiency beyond traditional systems. Platforms like those from Agilysys and CasinoTrac offer various features to optimize the gaming environment and operational security. With functionalities such as detailed player tracking, asset management, and real-time data analytics, these CMS platforms enable casinos to provide a tailored and secure gaming experience. They help in fine-tuning various operational aspects, including game floor organization and the execution of customer loyalty schemes, to ensure top-notch service that meets every guest’s needs.

In wrapping up, the tech trends shaping casinos aren’t just game-changers—they’re reshuffling the deck for a more engaging, streamlined, and secure player experience. As the industry bets big on innovation, these technological advancements ensure that the house keeps on winning.

If you’re interested in seeing these innovations firsthand, many companies featured in this article, along with a broad array of others, are set to exhibit at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, taking place from April 8-11, 2024, in Anaheim, California.

The post Gaming Reimagined: Eight Tech Trends Shaping Casinos appeared first on GKI Group.

The Israeli startup ecosystem has done it again. We didn’t think it would happen again so fast after passing the $3b mark and breaking a record in October, but it did – the following month.
This November, 70 Israeli startups raised more than $3.66 billion, with the birth of four new Unicorns and seven mega-deals that account for a third of the total amount.

In a list of 70 startups and the longest largest that we made, we couldn’t cover everything, but we picked some of the most interesting and noteworthy deals and companies. 

On top of the list, we have one of the most successful startups in Israel, the gaming company MoonActive. With expected revenues of more than $1.5 billion in 2021, mainly thanks to their super-popular game Coin Master, no wonder that the company’s latest $300 million round brought its valuation to $5 billion! This Secondary investment, led by Insight Partners, is also great news for some of their 1,300 employees who probably became “Coin Masters” themselves after their stock options were acquired. 

The agentless assets security company Armis, acquired by Insight Partners in January 2020, continues its money-raising efforts. After getting a $125 million investment earlier this year, Armis added another $300 million in private equity and brought the company’s valuation to $3.4 billion. The company’s platform provides simple, comprehensive device visibility & security using a vast knowledge base of over 1 billion devices and their behaviors. 

Moving over to the business management platform HoneyBook, which hauled a $250 million investment that doubled the company’s valuation to $2.4 billion – only six months after its $155 million D Round. HoneyBook is an all-in-one platform that allows small businesses and freelancers to manage projects, book clients, send invoices, and get paid. Just like HoneyBook.

The next one is a company that needs no introduction if you’ve been reading this blog regularly – Verbit. Just like HoneyBook, Verbit, the AI-based transcription and captioning service, announced its $250 million Series E only six months after their last round of $157 million Series D and doubled its valuation to $2 billion. Looks like a trend. 

Ready to save the world? Meet Immunai, the US and Tel-Aviv-based company is developing a platform that maps the immune system using single-cell biology and AI to accelerate the development of novel immune medicines. Immunai raised $215 million this month to continue with research and development and to hire more PhDs and MDs who’ll be working together to achieve medical breakthroughs. Good luck!  

If you’ve been watching the new season of the Israeli satirical comedy show Eretz Nehederet, you probably saw their sketches about the startup “Webos” that mocks and criticizes the Israeli tech scene and the investment frenzy. What you probably didn’t know is that these scenes were filmed at the offices of Lusha, which announced a $205 million Series B the same day the show aired and became a Unicorn. Yes, Ironic, we know.  However, unlike “Webos,” Lusha has an actual product – a sales intelligence platform for B2B sales, helping 280K companies get contact and company details to generate leads and score their next sale.

Speaking of the Unicorn Club, we have a new member! OpenWeb, formerly known as Spot.IM, raised $150 million to bring the power back to publishers by enabling them to create engaged and safer communities with moderated content and less online toxicity. The OpenWebOS (not to be confused with Webos from the previous paragraph) has 100M+ monthly active users and is trusted by top publishers like AOL, TechCrunch, New York Post, Fox News, who see a growth in the time users spend on their site.     

Beep beep! Make way to AutoBrains. The company developed Cartex, a self-learning AI technology for assisted and autonomous driving that is safer, more efficient, consumes 10x less energy, and is adaptive to its surroundings in real-time. Autobrains raised $101 million this month.  

The newest Unicorn, announced only yesterday, is Fundbox, a startup that helps small businesses grow by offering loans, lines of credit, and other financial products. Fundbox is also growing, with the help of a $100 million Series D that brings the company to a $1.1 billion valuation.  

Gaming startup Overwolf raised $75 million to enrich the gaming community. Overwolf built a platform for creating in-game apps and mods for popular games like League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Fortnite and sharing or selling them in the company’s Appstore. Overwolf has about 90,000 creators and 20 million monthly active users.   

We know you probably didn’t expect to meet a new Unicorn below the mega-deals, but we have a new one. Starkware is a crypto startup that builds an Ethereum scaling solution called StarkNet, bringing scalability, security, and privacy to blockchains. The company raised $50 million this month and more than $160 million in total, skyrocketing its valuation to $2 billion.  

As a customer, it’s nice to have the law by your side against fraud and theft. Still, unfortunately, many customers use this to manipulate retailers with false chargebacks and reclaim their money back from the credit card company. Over 80% of charges are illegitimate! Justt raised $50 million this month, and $70m since it was founded, to fight fraudulent chargebacks with AI and save online sellers an estimated $125 billion lost revenue.   

It’s been a while, but finally, there’s a drone startup on the list! This time we’re talking about Flytrex, a drone delivery service that operates in the US and works with retailers and restaurants like Walmart and Chili’s to enable a quick sky-high 5-minute delivery. Flytrex is aiming high and raised $40 million this month to continue developing and expanding to other locations than North Carolina, where the company currently operates. 

Meet Bit, a new platform for component-driven development, creating microservices to help front-end developers build websites, bit by bit. Used by more than 200,000 developers, Bit grabbed $25 million in a Series B round. 

Two companies that aim to help you write better are aligned on top of each other. With $21 million, we have Anyword, a copywriting generator powered by AI to create optimized copy for ads, landing pages, emails, and more.

A bit under, with $20 million, we have Amnon Shashua’s AI21 Labs, a company with the mission to make the best Natural Language Processing tools to help both machines and people. The company created one of our favorite tools called Wordtune, which assists you in rewriting your sentences in English in a better way – even when you write them in Hebrew. 

Got milk? Good, and what about animal-free milk? Imagindairy is a new Israeli food-tech startup developing animal-free dairy proteins for real milk, with no cows involved. The startup raised a $13 million seed round to integrate deep tech with system biology and develop a commercial and viable animal-free protein-based dairy product. It’s going to be Imagin-wait for it-dairy.    

Any product developers in the crowd? Good! Allow us to introduce you to Craft.io, an end-to-end product management platform. Craft.io covers anything you need to become a better product team, from helping you understand your customers or making it easier to collaborate with development teams. The startup raised $8 million this month with plans for expansion and adding some machine learning tools to their platform.

Just like always, here’s the infographic for you. Click to download or view it in full size. 

We can’t wait for this year to end. Think we’re going to have a pretty interesting year summary.

The post Oops… They did it again! These 70 Israeli startups broke a new record and raised more than $3.6 billion in November. appeared first on GKI Group.