Casino group raises stakes on security at Manchester site thanks to Axis Communications

The complete solution offers advanced levels of protection at the site’s perimeter, entrance and exit points, as well as close monitoring of the gaming hall and individual machines, guarding against break-ins and criminal damage as well as tampering and fraud.

Napoleons Casinos & Restaurants is a successful chain with premises across the north of England. Owner The A&S Leisure Group Ltd sought to employ a system that would incorporate the latest advancements in security, without the need to use multiple providers.

Casinos must be adequately protected, not just to secure the premises and protect against fraud or theft, but also to fulfil legal requirements set by the Gambling Commission and local authorities. Together with its partner organisation Brock Business Support, Axis Communications has specified and deployed a solution customised to fully support the casino’s requirements.

Guy Hewson, head of security at The A&S Leisure Group Ltd, explained: “When looking at the requirements of the new site, integration between the surveillance and access control systems was important, together with high quality images from the cameras and immediate video playback with audio. We turned to Brock Business Support who, through its close working partnership with Axis Communications, was able to specify a system that could be tailor-made for our requirements.”

Camera installation detail

No fewer than 100 cameras have been installed at the site. They require six AXIS T8524 PoE+ network switches and recording on three servers, all driven by the AXIS Camera Station software running over four viewing stations.

The staff entrance uses an AXIS A8004-VE network video door station, with all members of staff admitted after scanning using a biometric reader. Inside, AXIS M3065-V network mini dome cameras cover Back of House areas, in turn providing a wide-angle view.

Gaming tables, money exchange areas, bars and slot machines are monitored by AXIS P3375-V network cameras with built in two-way audio functionality. At the roulette wheels, AXIS F1015 sensor units sit inside the table displays, providing a discrete full view with recording capabilities and images that are clear and sharp. Externally, the perimeter is covered by AXIS P3245-LVE fixed dome network cameras with AXIS Lightfinder technology, which is ideal for variable lighting and weather conditions.

Dave Brock, managing director at Brock Business Support, has commented on the new solution by stating: “Multiple factors were taken into consideration during the installation of the many cameras and sensors across the Napoleons Casinos & Restaurants site, which meant meticulous planning right down to considerations around connectivity. For example, the use of AXIS Zipstream technology meant that Cat5E cabling could be used, so there was no need to upgrade. This represented an immediate cost saving for the owners.”

Open platforms

Axis Communications’ solution makes use of open platforms to facilitate simple integration with other systems, using APIs and standard Internet of Things protocols. This means that Axis Communications can draw on the expertise of its partners to incorporate their technologies, seamlessly blending them with the Axis components to make up the complete system.

Fully customisable and scalable, this solution can meet the growing needs of the business and help it face ongoing challenges as threats evolve and become more sophisticated. With the ability to capture and export live video data in real-time for the authorities in the event of an incident, Axis Communications’ solution provides peace of mind for all at the site.

Satisfied that the new system has met all of its objectives, The A&S Leisure Group Ltd now plans to review the technologies at its other four sites, implementing variations on the design employed so successfully at the Manchester premises.