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QCOM 3 for electronic gaming machines
In Queensland, all electronic gaming machines in clubs and hotels must be connected to an electronic monitoring system. The protocol electronic gaming machines use to make that connection is called the QCOM protocol.
Over 43,000 electronic gaming machines in Queensland currently run the QCOM protocol. Gaming providers in the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and New Zealand have also adopted it.
QCOM 3 is an upgrade of the current protocol, QCOM v1.6, and is designed to take advantage of the latest technology and security standards.
It is available to licenced monitoring operators, manufacturers and other game developers.
In this guide you will learn about:
- the benefits of QCOM 3
- upgrading to QCOM 3 at your venue
- QCOM 3 hardware requirements
- security for QCOM 3 LAN
- availability of QCOM 3 games in Queensland
- registering to receive QCOM 3 updates.
Benefits of QCOM 3
The benefits of QCOM 3 are realised by all parties involved in electronic gaming machine manufacturing, monitoring and control. It uses the best security and technology available, is adaptable, flexible and robust.
For gaming venues, the use of QCOM 3 allows:
- options for varied and new games, jackpots, services and product choices
- use of an existing local area network (LAN)—QCOM 3 uses the most widely used and supported business LAN in the world
- cost savings due to significant improvements in serviceability, maintenance and remote upgradability.
In the future, QCOM 3 will allow a single gaming network in each venue for all gaming-related services to use.
Also consider...
Manufacturers of gaming equipment can:
- learn more about QCOM 3 interface specification
- download the QCOM 3 monitoring system requirements.
Upgrading to QCOM 3 at your venue
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) and Queensland's licensed monitoring operators (LMOs) continue to support all existing operating gaming machines in the field until the end of their operational life.
QCOM 3 and existing QCOM gaming machines can operate simultaneously. QCOM 1.6 products will still be accepted from manufacturers for OLGR's evaluation and approval in 2023.
QCOM 3 hardware requirements
To experience all the great features of a QCOM 3 electronic gaming machine, gaming venues will need to run an Ethernet network across the gaming floor.
Ethernet is the most widely used local area network (LAN) in the world. It is fast, readily available, competitively priced and currently used by almost all other gaming-related services like player loyalty systems.
Venues that still have QCOM 1.6 machines can continue to use the existing gaming machine fibre LAN.
QCOM 3 and QCOM 1.6 electronic gaming machines can be operated simultaneously. This means you can add 1 new QCOM 3 machine at a time. OLGR will continue to support QCOM 1.6 machines in the field until the end of their usefulness.
Gaming venue licensees must own their gaming machine LAN infrastructure, such as cabling, switches and router hardware. Their QCOM 3 Ethernet LAN infrastructure must be 'off-the-shelf', widely commercially available hardware.
Wide area network (WAN) modems (or similar hardware) can be proprietary devices (e.g. equipment supplied by an LMO) and not necessarily owned by the gaming venue.
Ethernet cabling options for QCOM 3
Category 5 (cat 5) Ethernet cabling can run QCOM 3 for the foreseeable future. Gaming venues can choose to install category 6 (cat 6) or better, if, for example, they want to run a gaming-related service that streams video over the gaming machine LAN.
The Ethernet LAN installer doesn't have to hold a gaming repairer licence. You can use a network installer of your choice.
Protecting copper-based networks
The old QCOM 1.6 LANs were fibre optic, which provided some protection from electrical surges and spikes.
Copper-based networks (such as Ethernet) could make gaming machines more vulnerable to localised lightning strikes. For this reason, when using QCOM 3 over Ethernet, gaming venues should take some extra precautions to protect gaming-related products from electrical disturbances.
Consult an electrician for advice. You may also wish to double check your venue's insurance policy.
Cost of upgrading to QCOM 3
The cost of a network upgrade depends on the existing infrastructure—some venues will already have the necessary cabling.
The equipment is 'off-the-shelf', widely used in most networking applications today, and readily available. Therefore, costs should be minimal and a variety of installation options are available.
Security for QCOM 3 LAN
QCOM 3 local area network (LAN) infrastructure (e.g. cabling, switches, etc) is not regulated gaming equipment. The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) may declare specific QCOM LAN equipment as regulated gaming equipment if we view it as being significant to the security, integrity or availability of gaming.
The physical QCOM 3 LAN equipment must be located in an area that's off-limits to the general public. Accessing a LAN that's actively connected to gaming machines in a criminal or malicious way, or with intent, could be seen as unlawful interference with gaming equipment under the Gaming Machine Act 1991.
Queensland licensed monitoring operators (LMOs) may offer extra services, such as QCOM 3 LAN quality of service and intrusion monitoring. However, these services must not restrict OLGR's or the gaming licensee's access to the LAN in any way.
Also consider...
Manufacturers of gaming equipment can:
- learn more about QCOM 3 interface specification
- download the QCOM 3 monitoring system requirements.
Availability of QCOM 3 games in Queensland
The introduction of QCOM 3 isn't expected to affect the availability or supply of games for the Queensland market as manufacturers make them 'QCOM 3 ready'.
Gaming machine manufacturers have a continuous game development cycle, so the switch from making old QCOM-enabled games to making QCOM 3 enabled games is relatively simple. The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation doesn't foresee any interruption to the supply of new games to the Queensland market with the introduction of QCOM 3.
Licensed monitoring operators (LMOs) must support the latest QCOM protocol as a condition of their licence. This is not optional. LMOs' support for QCOM 3 gaming machines may influence manufacturers to develop them, so they remain competitive in the market.
Register to receive QCOM 3 updates
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) will occasionally email QCOM 3 updates to interested parties. Updates may include technical specifications, roll out details and dates, and invitations for industry feedback.
Stay up to date with the progress of QCOM 3 rollout by opting-in to receive updates.
To find out more, contact the Gaming Services Branch Technical Unit at olgrnotify@justice.qld.gov.au or phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Also consider...
Manufacturers of gaming equipment can:
- learn more about QCOM 3 interface specification
- download the QCOM 3 monitoring system requirements.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021