David G. Schwartz (Center for Gaming Research) recently edited Tales from the Slot Floor: Casino Slot Managers in Their Own Words, a new collection based on oral histories collected from casino slot managers. The book was published by the UNLV Gaming Press.
Slot machines are the backbone of most casinos. They earn the most money and determine the physical layout of the casino floor. The management of slot machines, which includes overseeing employees, selecting machines, designing the playing space, resolving customer disputes, and conducting analyses to improve operations, is a challenging field whose complexity has grown as the machines themselves have become more sophisticated.
To better document the current issues in slot management — and the change the field has seen over the past four decades — the UNLV Center for Gaming Research conducted an oral history project. Those interviewed were at all stages of their careers.
Drawn from these interviews, Tales from the Slot Floor features slot managers discussing several of the most important issues in today’s casino world, including: the optimal layout of a slot floor; the qualities demonstrated by both good and bad managers; what customers want from their visits to the casino; the vendor/casino relationship; appealing to millennials; and what the future holds. In addition, those with long careers share their views on the changes they have seen, and all subjects offer their advice to those embarking on a career in slot management.
