Analyzing Casino Money-Handling Processes

CASE STUDY 1: ANALYZING CASINO MONEY-HANDLING
PROCESSES
Retrieving money from a slot machine is referred to as
the drop process. The drop process begins with a security
officer and the slot drop team leader obtaining the slot
cabinet keys from the casino cashier's cage. Getting the
keys takes about 15 minutes. The slot drop team consists
of employees from the hard count coin room, security,
and accounting. The slot drop leader, under the
observation of a security officer and a person from
accounting, actually removes the drop bucket from the
slot machine cabinet. When the drop bucket is pulled
from the slot cabinet, a tag with the proper slot ma¬chine
number is placed on top of the coins to identify where
that bucket came from when the weigh process begins.
Retrieving the drop bucket takes about 10 minutes per
slot machine. Once a cart is filled with buckets from 20
different slot machines, the drop team leader and
security and accounting people deliver the buckets to the
hard count room. The buckets are securely locked in the
hard count room to await the start of the hard count
process. Delivering and securing the buckets takes about
30 minutes per cart.
The hard count process is performed at a designated time
known to gaming regulatory authorities. The hard count
team first tests the weigh scale, which takes 10 minutes.
The scale determines the dollar value, by denomination,
for set weights of 10 and 25 pounds. These results are
compared to calibration results, calculated when the
scale was last serviced, to determine if a significant
variance exists. If one does exist, the hard count
supervisor must contact the contractor responsible for
maintaining the scale and the controller's office. If no
significant variance is found, the weigh process can
continue.
Following the scale check, each drop bucket is emptied
into the weigh scale holding hopper. Using information
from the identifica¬tion tag, the specific slot machine
number from which the bucket originated is entered into
the weigh scale computer. The weigh scale computer is
programmed to convert the weight of coins, by
denomi¬nation, into specific dollar values, which are
recorded in the weigh journal along with the slot machine
number. This weighing and recording process takes seven
minutes per bucket. Once the scale has weighed the
contents of the drop bucket, the coins automatically drop
onto a conveyor belt, which transports them to wrapping
machines. As the coins are wrapped, the rolls of coins
drop onto another con¬veyor belt, which takes them to a
canning station. Twenty-five silver dollars are wrapped in
each roll at a rate of 10 rolls per minute.
At the canning station, the coin rolls are placed in metal
or plas¬tic cans that hold specific dollar amounts based
on coin denomina¬tion. The cans are stacked to facilitate
counting the wrapped coins. Silver dollar cans hold
$1,000, or 40 rolls, and take five minutes to fill and stack.
When the weigh process is completed, the weigh scale
computer runs a summary report totaling the weight by
denomina¬tion. These totals are recorded on the
weigh/wrap verification report, which takes five minutes
to produce.
When the wrap portion of the count is completed and all
of the rolled coins have been canned and slacked, they
are manually counted by denomination. These totals are
also recorded on the weigh/wrap verification report. The
variance in both dollar amounts and per¬centages, for
each denomination, is calculated. Variances that ex¬ceed
plus or minus 2 percent or are $ 1,000 or greater
(whichever is less) must be investigated by the hard
count supervisor, who writes an explanatory report. If no
significant variances exist, all members of the hard count
team sign the weigh/wrap verification report. To complete
the hard count process, the casino cashier's cage is then
notified that the slot drop is ready to be transferred into
cage accountability. Manually counting and verifying the
counts take on average two minutes per can.
In a process separate from the hard count, a cage cashier
performs an independent count and verification, by
denomination, of the wrap. If everything balances, the
main bank cashier signs the weigh/wrap verification
report, accepting the slot drop into cage accountability. It
is at this point that the actual slot gross gaming revenue
is recognized.
QUESTIONS
1 Draw a diagram of the drop process. How long should
it take to empty 300 silver dollar slot machines?
Drop Process
300 Slot Machines

Get Keys = 15 min
Retrieving Buckets = 10 min per buckets
Total time retrieving buckets = (300 slot machines) x (10
min per buckets) = 3000 min
Delivery and securing of cart = 30 min per cart
300 total buckets
20 buckets per cart
Total carts = (300 buckets) / (20 buckets per cart) = 15
carts
1 cart = 20 buckets
300= (?)
Total time delivery and securing of carts = (30 min per
cart) x (15 carts) = 450 min
Total time for drop process = (15 min) + (3000 min) +
(450 min)
= 3465 min = 57.65 hrs
2 Draw a diagram of the hard count process. How long

should this process take to complete for 300 silver dollar
slot machines? Assume that each slot machine has an
average of 750 silver dollars when it is emptied.
Flow Chart of Hard Count Process
Assume 750 Coins/Machine

750 (Coins/Machine) / 25 (Per Roll) = 30 Rolls/Bucket
30 Rolls * 300 Machines = 9000 Rolls
7 Minutes * 300 Buckets = 2100 Minutes
9000 Rolls /10 Roll/Minute = 900 Minutes
9000 Rolls / 40 (Rolls/Can) = 225 Cans
225 Can * 5 Minutes = 1125 Minutes
Time to Process 300 Silver Dollar Slot Machines = (Time
to Calibrate Scale) + (Weigh and Record Each Bucket) +
(Time to Wrap Each Roll) + (Time to Place Rolls into Cans)
+ (Run Summary) + (Manually Verify Can Counts)
= 10 Minutes + 2100 Minutes + 900 Minutes + 1125
Minutes + 5 Minutes + 450 Minutes = 4590 Minutes =
76.5 Hours
3 T he casino is considering the purchase of a

second coin-wrapping machine. What impact would this
have on the hard count process? Is this the most
desirable machine to purchase?
By Purchasing an additional wrapping machine would
save 450 minutes in the process.
7 Minutes * 300 Buckets = 2100 Minutes
Time to Process 300 Silver Dollar Slot Machines = (Time
to Calibrate Scale) + (Weigh and Record Each Bucket) +
(Time to Wrap Each Roll) + (Time to Place Rolls into Cans)
+ (Run Summary) + (Manually Verify Can Counts)
Minutes + 5 Minutes + 450 Minutes = 4140 Minutes
= 69 Hours
76.5 Hours-69 Hours = 7.5 Hours saved by the adding
one additional wrapper machine
Looking at what takes the most time in the process:
Weighing. If the casino purchased an additional weighing
machine:
3.5 Minutes * 300 Buckets = 1050 Minutes
Minutes + 5 Minutes + 450 Minutes = 3540 Minutes = 59
Hours
76.5 Hours-59 Hours = 17.5 Hours saved by the adding
one additional weighing machine
It would be a larger savings to invest in a new weigh
machine instead of a new wrapper machine.

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CASE STUDY 1: ANALYZING CASINO MONEY-HANDLING

300 Slot Machines

2 Draw a diagram of the hard count process. How long

Assume 750 Coins/Machine

3 T he casino is considering the purchase of a

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