EPN operates utilizing software it has purchased from Playsafe Holding AS, a publicly traded Norwegian Poker software provider. EPN chose Playsafe after a thorough analysis of software on the market. The breadth of the product and its usability in multiple business models made it an obvious choice.
Playsafe has developed an advanced unified gaming platform, incorporating a suite of games ranging from standard Poker games like Texas Holdem, Omaha, 7 card stud, Big2 and Pan to regular Casino style games like slots, video Poker, Blackjack and Roulette. The unified platform allows all players to play whatever game they choose from within one system and in one account. The software allows its users to play an unlimited amount of games simultaneously, regardless of type, including Poker cash games. The total gaming suite consists of more than 60 different real money game types. Different games can be enabled and disabled depending on the regulatory framework in which the software will operate.
The software is multi-lingual, multi-currency and allows the easy creation of white label sites, which drives revenue and liquidity. It has full network capabilities allowing external operators to connect to the network with both network and private tables. In addition it includes an array of other state of the art functionalities allowing expansion into world-wide markets and complex operating structures, as and when required.
The software flexible design allows any lobby and table design the operator wishes, without restrictions. That enables full flexibility to adapt the software to market trends, player demands and marketing needs without the need for complex and time consuming software modifications. Building in this flexibility has been a large undertaking and a high priority for Playsafe when developing the base for the future.
Security
The software is designed and built according to the strict IT security policies commonly used throughout the banking and finance world. With a mixture of hardware, software and procedural measures the sensitive data is protected and safeguarded from malicious intrusion and exploitation. In operation the software has a spotless security record. Systems are regularly checked by outside consultants for security breaches and to ensure optimizing of systems, software and hardware.
Scalability
The core base of the software has been rigorously tested in live operation for more than a decade, with tens of thousands of players connected at any moment in time. Prior to any optimization/update the software is tested with an army of robots in our test lab imitating more than 25,000 concurrent users. No update is taken live without passing this test. In addition the core framework allows for addition of an almost unlimited amount of horizontal server upgrades to increase the software’s capability to accept higher user load. The number 25,000 is selected only because that is approximately 30% of the world wide Poker traffic at any given point in time, which seems reasonably aggressive to plan for.
The platform’s modular architecture, flexibility and built-in redundancy enables it to grow with any Enterprise demand without problems.
Management and Back Office
The software allows its operators (management) up to the minute access to data through a secure online interface, the backend console. All aspects of the operation, including table management, games configuration, tournaments, loyalty programs, promotions etc. are handled from this secure interface. The security is granular such that each user’s security clearance stipulates how deep in the backend console he is allowed to go and all activity is traced in order to make sure transparency is optimal for management. The backend console has inbuilt alarm functions and triggers on special events, both security, payment processing and marketing related, to allow operators to excel at what they do whilst keeping the player base as secure as possible from potential hazards. The Back Office also supports a full multi-level agent structure for Operators in markets where payment processing is insufficient and/or Operators who have special client relationships
Plug-ins
The unified gaming platform offers more than 45 Casino style games and several different Poker types. It is relatively easy to add plug in games like Bingo, Live Casino, Sports Wagering etc. into the framework in the future.
Continued development
One of the growth channels in Online Poker will be web-based applications with plug-ins and applications to social media and networking sites. Due to the importance of Apple and the ongoing dispute with Flash the only viable web based Poker product will be to create an HTML 5 version of your client despite the HTML 5 standard not yet being 100% defined, although developers are already adopting this technology as the way forward worldwide. It is hard to see that Flash and Apple will make peace and hence the cards seem dealt in this area. This, together with the need to bypass restrictions like the ITunes AppStore, dictates that HTML 5 is the way of the future. We believe applying this technology is important for uninterrupted Pad and Mobile distribution. In the case apps would be allowed without restrictions in Android Market and AppStore, rebuilding apps to use the HTML5 interface for mobile devices will be little work.
The HTML 5 project is well under way with most of the development complete. This new software will be made available to EPN Operator’s and will provide such within 2013.
