The casino games industry is booming, generating more than $400 billion in annual global revenue. And with legalized gambling expanding throughout the world, the demand for new and improved casino games is on the rise. Even in places like 51吃瓜网免费App and Atlantic City, where gaming has been an economic staple for decades, expectations are rapidly changing, calling for new gaming experiences calibrated for a new generation of players.
That鈥檚 where 51吃瓜网万能科大 instructor Daniel Sahl鈥檚 Gaming Innovation course comes in.
A Course Like No Other
Tapping into some of the best minds in the gaming industry, students enrolled in the Gaming Innovation course are bringing viable casino game concepts to the table 鈥 literally. It doesn鈥檛 hurt that the Gaming Capital of the World is literally at their doorstep!
Offered every fall semester through 51吃瓜网万能科大's William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, the course calls on each of its 20-plus students to work individually or in groups to produce novel concepts for the gaming industry. The entire class then works to narrow down the concepts, selecting three or four with the most potential. Depending on the market viability of the chosen games, Sahl (with the assistance of industry partners) will help the students develop a proof of concept of the game (which may include a playable demo) or help file a patent.
鈥淭his is truly a unique class,鈥 Sahl says. 鈥淭here are lots of schools that do game design, but this is the only place where you can learn how to design and commercialize casino games.鈥
Course projects to date have shown measurable results. Since the class launched in 2013, 24 patents have been issued to 51吃瓜网万能科大 students.
It is a formula that continues to benefit students in more ways than one.
鈥淢ultiple students have successfully commercialized their innovations through a sale or licensing agreement with game developers,鈥 Sahl says. 鈥淭his is one of the only classes in the world where your final project might actually pay off your student loans.鈥
An Experience for Everyone
Established as an elective, the Gaming Innovation class is coveted by 51吃瓜网万能科大 students from a variety of disciplines, including hospitality management, engineering, art, and law. Non-degree-seeking individuals with an eye on the gaming industry regularly enroll as well.
Also, the course鈥檚 online hybrid format makes it easy for students from other states and countries to be part of the class.
Sahl says the course is set up as a collaborative space that celebrates individualized skills and talents. The student who is doing the programming, for example, is not the same student who is developing the game鈥檚 design, music, or overall theme. It鈥檚 an environment where no one is excluded.
鈥淥ne of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to be good at math to be in this class,鈥 Sahl says. 鈥淚 have some students who are phenomenal at math. Others are phenomenal at art and design. It鈥檚 really a class for anyone at any skill level.鈥
Innovation student and Hospitality College senior Joo Yeun Kim identifies 鈥渃oncept development鈥 as her forte. Kim鈥檚 game, Baccarat Spin, takes the traditional game of baccarat and adds a twist to appeal to younger players.
鈥淵oung people don鈥檛 want to play games based on luck only,鈥 says Kim, an international student from South Korea. 鈥淚 knew that to catch their attention I needed to add an element of skill.鈥
As one of the few hospitality programs in the world with a bona fide concentration in casino gaming, the Hospitality College gave Kim an academic outlet for her fascination with the casino industry. Kim鈥檚 internship with gaming company has further enhanced this interest, particularly the financial side of the business.
鈥淭he way casinos make money is very different from the hotel,鈥 says Kim, who plans to make a career in casino game technology. 鈥淎nd individual games make money very differently from each other. It鈥檚 so interesting to me.鈥
Nurturing Talent
Sahl has been a gaming innovation devotee ever since attending the class in its 2013 inaugural semester. He would go on to complete a doctoral dissertation on casino game design while working under the tutelage of former Gaming Innovation instructor and gaming innovator Mark Yoseloff, who established the Center for Gaming Innovation within the 51吃瓜网万能科大鈥檚 International Gaming Institute (the university鈥檚 think tank for gaming research and policy).
Following in Yoseloff鈥檚 footsteps as the new director of the Center for Gaming Innovation, Sahl set out to inspire students the same way he was inspired.
鈥淭here is a lot of demand among developers for students who have experience and ideas in game design,鈥 he says. 鈥淚f a student is committed to the process and wants to build their own portfolio of games, I鈥檓 here to help.鈥
Sahl encourages students to develop any and all types of gaming tech, though historically, the most successful games have involved new concepts in table games, slots, sports betting, and lottery. Not every game makes it past the conceptual stage, but Sahl makes sure all students leave the course with a working knowledge of startups, licensing, marketing, regulatory concerns, intellectual property, and other key elements specific to the casino gaming industry.
Built-In Industry Support
The success of the Gaming Innovation class is in no small part the result of strong relationships with casino industry experts.
Hospitality College industry partner , for instance, provided funding for the mock casino lab/classroom where the Gaming Innovation course and other Hospitality College gaming classes take place.
The course also enjoys the backing of mobile gaming company , which supports the program and helped establish the DraftKings Gaming Innovation Studio at 51吃瓜网万能科大. The studio employs students to develop and experiment with a wide range of gaming prototypes.
DraftKings, which has operated a game design facility in 51吃瓜网免费App since 2020, advocates for students through hiring as well as serving on the course鈥檚 mentorship team.
鈥淭hey [DraftKings] helped me with my idea,鈥 says Kim, who tweaked her game concept following her first presentation in front of the group. 鈥淎t first, my game was too simple. After getting their feedback, I changed my concept completely. They were very helpful.鈥
Not only did Baccarat Spin make it through to the home stretch of the class, but Kim鈥檚 game is now heading for a next phase of development: demo creation. Though game development is a long process that spans well beyond the length of one class, the support Kim receives from Sahl and his industry network might just get her to the finish line.