Vancouver-based Jackpot Digital Inc., a leading electronic table games manufacturer and mobile gaming provider for the cruise ship and regulated casino industries, specializes in multiplayer gaming products, including poker and casino games, which are complemented by a robust suite of backend tools for operators to efficiently control and optimize their gaming business.
The company was founded in 1999 as an iGaming operator and software developer, but since 2015 has focused on development and manufacturing of electronic table games (ETG). Originally known as Las Vegas from Home.com Entertainment Inc., Jackpot Digital rebranded in 2015 to reflect the company’s new focus and bright future.
The company’s dedication to innovation led to a recent feature on Innovations with Ed Begley Jr., an award-winning television series on Fox Business Network dedicated to highlighting innovative companies across a wide variety of industries.
Speaking with Jackpot Digital’s President and CEO Jake Kalpakian, it becomes clear that the company is looking to break new ground in the gaming industry.
“Our company has a long history in electronic gaming, as an iGaming operator, software developer, and now as an ETG manufacturer,” says Kalpakian. “We’ve applied our varied experience and skills to our new ETG product, Jackpot Blitz™, which has the potential to transform our industry and bring table gaming back to the forefront of casino entertainment.”
Jackpot’s Quantum Leap
In 2014, Jackpot Digital launched a new era of growth by signing an agreement with Carnival Cruise Lines to deploy their suite of HTML5-based mobile games on Carnival’s ships. Carnival’s Mobile Casino provides a host of best-in-class poker, slot, and table-game content for their guests to play while in international waters. Jackpot’s poker and casino games quickly found their place amongst Carnival’s top earning games. This was a huge development for the company, generating new revenue and opening Kalpakian’s eyes to potential synergy with an ETG product from PokerTek, Inc. that was also showcased on Carnival ships.
Kalpakian, a veteran of the gaming industry, saw the potential of ETGs to transform traditional table gaming through new technologies and expanded game offerings. So, in 2015, Jackpot purchased PokerTek’s assets with the goal of developing the next generation of ETGs. Since the 2015 acquisition, Jackpot Digital has operated more than 100 PokerPro and ProCore ETG units in casino locations worldwide, including on more than 75 ships in the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet.
In a July 2015 company press release, Kalpakian stated that the PokerTek acquisition would allow the company to “build unique features and products that synergize between the electronic tables and mobile games, leading to a superior user experience and ultimately increased revenues for the Company.” He followed this up by initiating the development of a multi-functional ETG system to deliver the most technologically advanced social gaming experience on the market.
After nearly two years of research and development, Jackpot Digital will be launching their next generation ETG product, Jackpot Blitz™, at the 2017 Canadian Gaming Summit in Vancouver. Jackpot Blitz™ is a unique and revolutionary new ETG platform that combines the social aspects of live table gaming with the most advanced technology on the market.
“The ETG market is rapidly changing, and Jackpot Blitz™ represents the evolution of electronic table games,” says Kalpakian. “Our product features best in class technology and innovative features, making it a must-have for traditional and electronic gaming operators worldwide no matter the size of their operation. Our product makes table game operations faster, more efficient, more fun, and more profitable.”
Technology Leading Growth
“Historically, innovation and technology have been the catalyst for change in the gaming industry,” says Kalpakian. “While slot machines were the new rage in the 70s and 80s, today’s gaming industry is driven by the need to use new technology to draw Millennials into casinos. Jackpot Blitz™ combines the most advanced technology with traditional casino games to provide fast-paced and innovative social entertainment.”
The company has designed Jackpot Blitz™ to be the most advanced and flexible ETG product on the market; its adaptable software interface allows a single Blitz table to play poker (Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and video poker), blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and other casino games. Blitz tables feature 10 player seats and a modular design that allows multiple house banked games to be played simultaneously on a single Blitz table – five players can play Hold’em while the other five play blackjack. The ETG platform will also feature mini-games, where players can play a hand or two of blackjack against the house while they wait for their next hand to be dealt in a ring game or tournament.
Jackpot Blitz™ also features a massive 84-inch, 4K resolution touchscreen with more than 100 sensitive touchpoints to perfectly replicate a traditional live table gaming experience. This state-of-the-art touchscreen led to the development of gesture-based gameplay, in which players use traditional poker hand gestures (e.g. cupping your hands around your cards, tapping the table to check) to control the Jackpot Blitz™ touchscreen and direct their gameplay.
Efficiency Leads to Profitability
Today’s casino operators are looking to reduce costs while increasing efficiency and profits. ETGs eliminate the dealer, providing secure operations, fast-paced gameplay and profits at a fraction of the operational cost of traditional live table games.
Jackpot’s comprehensive back-end management system on Jackpot Blitz™ allows operators full access to a secure mobile application for table, tournament, and customer management from any desktop computer or tablet. This system also provides operators with real-time reporting on metrics related to gameplay, financial performance, and customer analytics. Each Blitz table also comes with an electronic player kiosk to automate player deposits, payouts, and registration, eliminating the need for a cashier.
Kalpakian views Jackpot Blitz™ as the link between past and present, tradition and technology. “In the past few years, there has been a general trend across the industry to remove table games in favour of slot machines. Slots have proven to be easier to operate, more profitable per square foot, and they give real-time information on customers and their gaming preferences. Jackpot Blitz™ has the potential to reverse that trend – it provides the technological advantages afforded by slot machines and the social atmosphere of traditional table games.”
Poised for Growth
The company is rolling out the first Jackpot Blitz™ units with Carnival Cruise Lines in Q2 of 2017 and intends to have the product ready for deployment in regulated markets in Q4 of 2017.
Kalpakian sees huge potential in the product and is targeting a rapid deployment to brick-and-mortar casinos in 2018.
“We have had fantastic feedback from current and prospective customers about Jackpot Blitz™ and are working on some big agreements in Canada and the USA in the near future. We can’t wait to launch our product at the 2017 Canadian Gaming Summit, it is going to be thrilling to see gaming operators from across Canada playing on our new table and hearing their feedback. This is the culmination of years of hard work, and it is a very exciting time for our company.”
For more information, visit www.jackpotdigital.com or head to the exhibition floor at the 2017 Canadian Gaming Summit.
