MGM veteran starts Vegas Internet-based junket service

Friday, Sept. 8, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

A wave of excitement sweeps through a casino whenever a high-roller arrives to play.

Now, Larry Woolf, the former chairman and chief executive officer of the MGM Grand hotel-casino, proposes to spread the excitement around with an Internet-based tracking system that will alert high-rollers to big-money tournaments and events being played worldwide.

Woolf explained plans for his PlaySys.com technology venture at a recent e-commerce symposium sponsored by IT Strategies International Corp., a Las Vegas-based computer consulting firm.

PlaySys is expected to launch this month and will centralize information on top tournaments from casinos all over the world.

For players, the system will offer rate information, deals and calendars of special events. For casinos, it will provide player rating information and customer loyalty.

"If a player likes to play baccarat, he can be e-mailed and informed of any major baccarat tournament being offered by a casino anywhere in the world," Woolf said.

Woolf pointed out that many of the world's casino players -- and much of the worldwide casino revenue -- come from outside of the United States. He said there are about 305 million players in the world, 185 million of them in the United States. Worldwide casino revenues last year were $50 billion -- $30.4 billion in the United States.

Woolf figures that a centralized database on the world's best players would be universally valuable to casinos. He said the flurry of property acquisitions and mergers by the world's major casino operators has left companies with several incompatible player tracking systems.

He said Harrah's currently has the best tracking and awards program on a broad scale. Las Vegas-based Harrah's, which owns the Harrah's, Showboat and Rio hotel-casinos, has properties in more markets than any other casino company with 21 casinos in 17 markets. Later this year, Harrah's will begin managing a casino for the Rincon Indian Tribe near San Diego.

Gary Thompson, a spokesman for Harrah's, said the company has 19 million players enrolled in its Total Rewards program, which was upgraded this year. The program, begun in 1998, initially was called Total Gold.

Thompson said the system has contributed to double-digit, same-store sales growth because players can earn comps from any Harrah's property.

Casinos have long recognized the value of tracking systems to target market customers. Woolf's company would take the concept to a new level by making the database on all players available to any casino. Woolf said PlaySys.com will sign contracts similar to those between vacation companies and casinos in which the company receives a percentage when the gambler spends a certain amount in play.

Woolf said the product would be marketed to players through casinos, travel agents and on the Internet. The company already has relationships with 600 travel agencies in Europe.