Management systems solve compliance issues of multi-state gaming rules and regulations

Key Control

Management systems solve compliance issues of multi-state gaming rules and regulations

In the American casino industry, the name Boyd Gaming stands out as a model of business efficiency and success. The company has been developing and operating hotels and casinos since 1975, and currently has 17 whollyowned properties located in Nevada, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Kansas. Boyd Gaming additionally shares ownership of the Borgata Casino in New Jersey.

The success of this family-owned operation can be attributed to many factors, among them strict adherence to the various state rules and regulations pertaining to key control policies and procedures. According to Kerry Tankersley, business solutions analyst at Boyd Gaming, a unified, enterprise-wide key control solution from Morse Watchmans, individually tailored to meet gaming regulations in each of the states where Boyd Gaming operates, is fundamental to their success.

“We really needed a flexible system that could easily adjust to the differences in regulations in the various jurisdictions in which Boyd operates,” Tankersley said. “This solution can be fully customized for the property and the jurisdiction in which we operate. Because of that, we don’t have to over buy.”

Sensitive Keys

Critical to the business environment, Morse Watchmans stays current with the various rules and regulations to ensure that its products meet all requirements for each particular state. Tankersley cites as an example their operation in Louisiana, where state gaming restrictions do not allow for sensitive keys to be held in the same cabinet as non-sensitive keys.

To accommodate for this requirement, the cabinet was programmed to store and allow access for sensitive keys only, rather than the standard random key return feature that allows the return of any key to any open slot in the cabinet. This solution allows the sensitive keys to be held in this particular cabinet, each in a specific slot, complete with tracking and programmable user authorizations.

The system’s open architecture structure enables compatibility with third-party software for generating state required reports for key inventory and replacement, broken or damaged keys, and records or incident reporting. Data generated by the system is used to create an audit trail of incidents and follow-up actions throughout Boyd Gaming properties. As Tankersley explained, if the key control system generates an alarm because of an illegal key return, the report is given to the shift manager and security personnel to take action. Management of the incident—exception, justification, resolution—is then tracked with specialized incident reporting software that generates reports for auditors.

“We have to produce incident reports that show key usage and illegal door and alarm activity, covering a 90-day period,” Tankersley said. “With the data from our key control system, it all ties together and is reportable, retrievable and traceable.”

Authorized Staff Only

Key control cabinets located throughout the various Boyd Gaming properties are accessed by authorized staff using their four-digit user ID and a biometric scan of a fingerprint or palm print. The two-step process ensures additional security and adherence to policies and procedures. As an extra measure of security, and to meet Nevada gaming regulations, system administrators are authorized to add/remove keys for maintenance purposes but are not allowed to sign keys out.

Because of the nature of business in a casino, large sums of money, and accompanying rules and restrictions pertaining to key control and management, Boyd Gaming uses several additional security measures available on the key control system such as dual/tri signature procedures. Departments are set up within the system, and if the release of a key requires three “signatures,” for example, the system is programmed to specify which three departments are authorized to provide the signatures. All three signatures must be from the three designated departments in order to access the key cabinet.

“The system enforces control both by department and by key,” Tankersley said. “It’s very solid, and no one can violate it or bypass the system.”

Morse Watchmans KeyWatcher key control systems were first installed by Boyd Gaming in 2000; and since that time, original systems have been upgraded and new cabinets added to the enterprise. Tankersley points out that those original systems are still working but are gradually being replaced, so they can take advantage of the many new features that have been introduced. As proof of their durability, she cites a system installed at the Louisiana property that survived Hurricane Katrina with no damage.

“As we expand, we are picking up quite a bit of what was manual,” Tankersley said. “The KeyWatcher system makes it easier to ensure the keys are where they’re supposed to be and go to whom they are supposed to. In a casino application, with all of the rules and regulations we must follow, a flexible system makes it that much easier. I don’t know of another product that offers as much, or is as compliant.”

This article originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.