G2E 2011: Casinos see value of social networks for game distribution

While casinos evolve their marketing programs to include social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, technology and gaming companies have recognized the value of those networks for game distribution.

Meanwhile, debate continues over how to evaluate the opportunities that new media will bring.

"Go back four years ago and no one in Las Vegas had a social media title," said Justin Cohen, a partner with Internet Marketing Inc. "Today, every casino has a social media manager."

Cohen, who participated in a panel discussion about the value of social media Wednesday at the Global Gaming Expo, said the casino industry could learn from Ford Motor Co. and Apple Inc. and how they've hired teams of employees to filter news from inside and about the company before sharing it through social media sites.

"Social media is about real-time interactions," he said. "It's also about listening and communicating with your guests."

ohen said casinos have countless employees who could pass along news about celebrities on the property or what widely known poker players are in the casino. He said a property could benefit from selectively passing news through Twitter and other social media sites.

"It's about driving traffic to your sites and hopefully to your casinos," said Rom Hendler, senior vice president and chief marketing officer with Las Vegas Sands Corp., owner of The Venetian.

The challenge for The Venetian, for example, is whether to use social media to promote the entire property or to operate separate campaigns for parts of the property.

Hendler also considers mobile devices, kiosks, in-room and digital signs as crucial to a social media strategy. It's about communicating with guests when they're in the hotel or when they're home, he said.

Any panel exploring social media's potential benefits to the gaming industry usually includes a discussion about the future of online gaming.

To Richard Bronson, chairman of U.S. Digital Gaming Inc., the Internet is the "next frontier in gaming."

Bronson blamed the political climate in Washington, D.C., for the failure to pass federal legislation to legalize online poker.

"There hasn't been a bill passed since January," he said. "So there really isn't a chance of getting a bill passed that will allow gambling in every home in the U.S."

Bronson said legalized online gambling, including poker, will happen state-by-state. He said states are in a better position to regulate the industry .

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at csieroty
@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.