The Importance of Performing Regularly Scheduled Audits – Sensitive Key Controls

The Importance of Performing Regularly Scheduled Audits – Sensitive Key Controls

Sensitive Key Controls. A primary goal that any company has, especially casinos, is safeguarding company assets. For the casino industry, this not only includes physical cash and coins, but also controlled documents, gaming and non-gaming inventories, and customer data. One component that is significant in casino operations is sensitive key controls. Key controls encompass a variety of topics including, who has access to both the casino floor areas and back office areas, where keys are maintained, key logs, key listing, key inventories, and the destruction of keys. Since key controls impact every area and every department of the casino operations, having a strong auditing plan is a must. As with any audit, key control audits need to be done at each level of casino ops and at various frequencies. The audit review process should include the following: Review of the documented internal controls, which may include the following: What are considered sensitive keys Who has access to sensitive keys How keys should be destroyed What documentation is required for key controls Emergency key access instructions Review of all key listing maintained at the key boxes that show the key number, key description, what positions are required to access to the keys, and emergency key access personnel. Auditing key inventories. This audit should not only include an inventory of the keys that access uncounted funds from the casino floor but also keys that control access to company inventories, controlled forms, and key boxes. All sensitive and non-sensitive keys should be accounted. Review of key logs, both manual and electronic Review of system access logs to verify who has access to which keys (electronic key box environment) Observation of key in and out checkout procedures Observations of drop and counts where key control should be at its highest ensuring keys are kept with the appropriate personnel at all times. Review of duplicate keys including where they are maintained and the logs that are kept. Review of the ordering, receiving, and destruction of keys. At the completion of the key inventory, a reconciliation of physical inventory records, which should be maintained showing where and how, many keys were distributed, should be conducted. The review process can be very extensive and depending on the function of the department, the review can occur quite frequently. Casino department management, who maintain key boxes (in a manual process), should be reviewing the key logs each shift prior to the transferring of key responsibilities to another shift and at the end of the day prior to them being sent to compliance/income control. This independent review should ensure the logs are properly completed and all sensitive keys are properly accounted for prior to submission to compliance/income control. In an electronic key box environment, the key logs should be generated daily and reviewed by income control/compliance. Property compliance/internal control should be reviewing key logs daily to ensure all sensitive keys were checked in and checked out within the same gaming day and the appropriate personnel is involved in the checking in/out process. Property compliance should be conducting quarterly inventories of all sensitive and non-sensitive...

BMM Testlabs celebrates 33 years in the global gaming industry

BMM Testlabs is pleased to announce that it will be celebrating its 33rd anniversary on November 27, 2014. Martin Storm, BMM’s Global President and CEO discusses this significant milestone: “Whilst we are only in the 11th month of 2014, BMM’s 33rd year of operations has seen another record year. We have serviced some 300 gaming manufacturers worldwide; opened new labs in Vienna, Austria and Bologna, Italy; grown our Canadian business very significantly and grown all international business operations; expanded our free Tribal gaming education in the USA and lottery training in South America; achieved further ISO accreditations for our test-labs; released new software applications for use by regulators and manufacturers; expanded our infrastructure including lab space and hired key staff. As our ‘not-for-profit’ commitment to community grows we announced BMM’s ‘Next Generation Initiative’ for Tribal charities and associations, and continued our support for Worldwide Orphans and their international children’s development programs. We also announced Frank Fahrenkopf, former AGA President & CEO, as an Executive Director of the BMM parent company. It has been both a pleasure and an honor to work with such an exceptional industry leader as Frank. Our clients, industry regulators and our staff have benefited from the breadth of Frank’s knowledge and expertise throughout the year. BMM may be approaching 33 years old, but our staff have literally thousands of years of experience in gaming testing and compliance. This experience, layered with professional services consulting, project management, exceptional service and industry innovation present BMM’s unique value proposition. As we look forward to 2015, we continue to promote ‘choice’ and a free-market in the U.S when considering gaming-based goods and services. Competition ensures fair pricing and increased quality in the global gaming industry, so it’s time for the U.S gaming industry to experience the same benefits of real choice in gaming test labs, that the global gaming market has enjoyed for...

BMM Testlabs provides multidisciplinary training to Loteria de Córdoba SE

BMM Testlabs, the world’s leading gaming testing laboratory and technical consultancy is pleased to announce that it provided technical and multidisciplinary training to Loteria de Córdoba SE on August 26th and 27th, 2014. This first training session focused on effective regulatory policies, casino systems, progressive systems, field audit and architecture of slot machines, quality methods and finance. Mr. Hugo Ramos, General Manager, Loteria de Córdoba SE commented “We are grateful to BMM Testlabs for the high level of training and their attention to detail. The main purpose of the training was to strengthen and extend staff knowledge to ensure an increasingly efficient level of management. This training will enable Loteria de Córdoba to continue to provide excellent standards, quality processes and transparency throughout the region.” The BMM training program was developed by Fernando Cuellar, Senior Manager for Client Services, Peru. Cuellar was joined by Carlos Gloza, BMM Testlabs Representative for Argentina, who coordinated and moderated the training sessions. At the end of the training program Hugo Ramos, General Manager; Gustavo Diaz, Technology and Systems Manager; Julio Gómez, Human Resources Manager; and Andrés Sala, Certification Division, from Systems and Technology Management all reaffirmed the Board’s decision to continue with BMM’s training sessions. Ramos concluded “This training from BMM will allow Loteria de Córdoba to stay current with best practices and continue to develop skills in the International gaming...

Visit BMM at the Macao Gaming Show, 18-20 November 2014

BMM Testlabs Announces Expanded ISO Accreditation to Cover Full GSA Certification Requirements

BMM Testlabs is pleased to announce it has successfully expanded its ISO 17025 scope of accreditation to include two additional GSA protocols – GAT and GDS. Game Authentication Terminal (GAT) protocol is used by regulators and operators to identify and authenticate gaming software and firmware in the field. The Gaming Device Standard (GDS) protocol is GSA’s USB-based serial protocol used to connect gaming devices with peripheral devices such as printers, note acceptors, and card readers. Travis Foley, EVP Operations – Americas commented “We are very pleased that BMM is now able to provide certification for both GAT and GDS protocols from the Gaming Standards Association. This extended ISO accreditation ensures that BMM is fully able to provide all GSA certification needs for our...