Synectics adds Penn premiers to growing North American gaming portfolio

(PRESS RELEASE) -- More than 75 gaming properties in North America and Canada now benefit from Synectics’ integrated surveillance solutions, with two new Ohio Penn National Gaming, Inc. casinos the latest additions to the firm’s extensive portfolio.

Between them, Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway will offer almost 2,000 video lottery terminals (VLTs), bars, dining, concession stands and entertainment, spread over state-of-the-art facilities spanning 133,000 sq. ft.

Penn National Gaming, one of Synectics’ long-standing corporate customers, is capitalizing on advances in IP-based solutions for protecting its newest Hollywood premiers. At both locations, footage from almost 1,000 high definition IP cameras, together with third-party transactional and alarm data, will be integrated within Synectics’ Synergy command and control platform to create a unified security and situational awareness solution.

Fifteen Penn Gaming facilities across Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania now use Synectics’ video management and integration and scalable data storage solutions.

John Katnic, Vice President of Global Gaming at Synectics, said: “Working on new projects with long-standing customers like Penn is particularly rewarding as they constantly push us to improve our products and meet challenging deadlines. In this highly competitive market, you simply don’t have loyal repeat customers if you haven’t listened, evolved and grown together. It’s always been our strategy and strength to concentrate our attention and resources on a few key clients with unique requirements and to make sure we consistently meet their technology and delivery expectations on time. It’s a 'partnership' in every sense of the word.”

Synectics has completed 11 major upgrades or installs in North America so far in 2014, with 11 more scheduled for completion this year. Globally, the surveillance solutions business now supports over 100 gaming properties thanks to its unique non-proprietary hardware and software and proven track record in the casino marketplace.

Penn is not the only long-standing customer to expand or overhaul its surveillance capabilities with Synectics this year. John continued: “Synectics has worked with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) for nearly 10 years – our technology is installed in two-dozen tightly regulated gaming facilities throughout the Province. Caesars Windsor was Synectics’ very first North American casino installation and we have just replaced and upgraded their original Synectics recording system with a hybrid system that incorporates the latest IP video technology. It’s a mutually beneficial long-term relationship we are very proud of.”

Synectics’ success in North America this year has been largely driven by increased interest in more scalable and reliable IP-based security solutions, third-party system integrations, and user-friendly, full-featured software functionality.

John explained: “Today’s gaming and hospitality facilities are rapidly introducing high-definition cameras that require more robust networks and create exciting opportunities for more sophisticated data integration to video and access control, slots, player systems, etc. With more cameras and data on the network, our customers are increasingly focused on system security, resiliency and redundancy. In response, Synectics has introduced innovative, multi-layered technology solutions for real-time data replication and hardware failover such as Synectics’ ‘backfilling,’ which eliminates the threat of data loss or single point of network failure.

“It’s an exciting and demanding time for Synectics as a business and for our sector as a whole; thanks to the ongoing success of our large repeat customer base and Synectics’ exponential growth here and abroad.”