Casinos and gaming organizations are extremely high-value targets for cybercriminals due to the huge amounts of funds moving through these facilities daily. Combine this with how much technology businesses use to operate in this industry, and you have the perfect incentive for large-scale and expensive data breaches.

In one example, hackers breached a casino's network via a fish tank. The tank was equipped with smart technology to connect to the internet for easier management and monitoring. However, by doing this, it now became the weakest point of entry for a hacker to compromise the casino's entire network.

Why Cybersecurity in the Gaming Industry Is Important

If your gaming operation is vulnerable to cyberattacks, it jeopardizes customer payment information and personal data and potentially affects your company revenue and reputation. A cyberattack incident can also shake the loyalty and confidence of regular players.

Some gaming organizations may be vulnerable to attacks due to using outdated cybersecurity software, while other operations may lack the staff or financial resources to monitor their security environment continuously. These situations are often prevalent among smaller casinos struggling to hire competent information technology (IT) personnel in rural locations. In addition, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance is challenging when a business accepts payment cards on a casino floor and for hospitality expenses.

With the number of cyberattacks growing, casinos and other gaming organizations must be more proactive in securing their networks. For these operations to protect their revenue, brand reputation and customer privacy, they need clear visibility of the potential threats and a practical solution that does not strain their budget or security team.

Challenges in Casino Cybersecurity and the Gaming Industry

The gaming sector faces a number of challenges related to information security, including:

• High frequency and high value cash and payment card transactions
• Many physical and digital points of entry
• Speed of technology development
• Large employee workforce, many without an IT background
• Dozens, if not hundreds of vendors operating within the facilities

How Compass IT Compliance Can Help

The good news is that Compass IT Compliance has you covered. With a robust service offering focused on information security combined with our extensive work with gaming institutions, Compass is ready and willing to help you mitigate your risk. Several examples of our services include incident response planning, IT risk assessments, PCI DSS compliance, and vulnerability assessments.