Tribal gaming is undergoing a massive transformation and diversification. Today, it is common for gaming operators to add hotel or resort facilities, upscale dining, high end shopping and other entertainment options to their casinos. With each new amenity, operators must add related systems, and with each new system comes a new set of data-related challenges. Over time, gaming tribes will operate larger, more diversified business holdings, underpinned by data – the tribe’s most valuable asset.
Data is Like Water
Data flows through tribal gaming businesses like water. These flows need specialized data engineering talent to control and harness their power. The data engineer and his or her team direct the flow of data into various touchpoints across the range of diverse business. Business units and teams through which data flows are empowered to provide better service and greater efficiency. The Data Engineer The data engineer controls the flow of data throughout and across the entire organization. At each step, the data engineer can measure, direct and harness this dynamic, ever changing asset. To most effectively leverage this valuable asset, the data engineer strives to reuse the same data over and over again, enabling the operation to benefit from data merged and blended in multiple different ways.
The Nature of Systems
Systems are comprised of extremely specialized code developed and carefully optimized to handle numerous aspects of the business. To explain the nature of a system, consider the example of a hotel management system (HMS). Operators use the HMS for all aspects of hotel operations. The scope of functionality of the HMS may include, but is not limited to, reservations, food and beverage, valet, spas and retail.
Read the rest of this article in Indian Gaming Magazine (reprinted with permission)