An Interview with Earle G. Hall, AXES.ai CEO: ‘We Empower Governments and Gaming Establishments, Whilst Protecting Data Integrity and Making Sense of It’

“We provide cloud information and transaction management services to the global gaming industry.”

IoT is transforming the way businesses, governments, and consumers interact with the physical world. The ability to electronically monitor and manage objects and machines makes it now possible to bring data-driven decision making to new realms of human activity. This quantum leap in the optimization and performance of systems and processes saves time and resources for both people and businesses thereby improving quality of life.

In light of the foregoing, we’re thrilled to present AXES.

AXES is a Cloud Information Management Platform that licenses actionable intelligence and applications to Global Gaming and Amusement Industry. In this emerging cloud driven technology world where artificial intelligence will be the key competitive driver, the amount, the heterogenous nature and the quality data will set competitors apart as the precision of predictability will define value.

The platform also offers native applications such cashless management using RFiD, Smartcard and barcode technologies. Advanced features include blockchain security as well as anti-money laundering and responsible gaming algorithms. Corporate and user taxation management is also a key feature of the core system. Other applications available include jackpot, loyalty, rewards to enhance client performance and profitability. The AXES.ai advantage is simple: It can connect to any type, number of machines, and location size.

With IoT devices streaming data from more than 40 countries, AXES makes sense of billions of pieces of player, machine, time, and space data to create value, increase revenue and enhance player engagement.

The company was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered Quebec City, Canada. It has additional office locations in Manila; Philippines and Warsaw; Poland.

Earle G. Hall, AXES.ai CEO, spoke exclusively to The Silicon Review. Below is an excerpt.

Q. Why was the company set up? And how did you expand your company and its offerings over the years?

At inception, AXES was not at all targeting the gaming industry! We started as a smartcard provider for hotels. Then we partnered with the giant Bell, where we turned our focus to prepaid smartcards. It was only a little later that we entered the global gaming market when an important Canadian company doing business in Mexico needed a smart card solution that could manage cashless operations on a casino floor as well as monitor responsible gaming and anti-money-laundering laws implemented by the government. We created a very innovative technology to collect and stream the data to a cloud that we later called the Blackbox which became our competitive edge now being able to stream data from every type of slot machine. We had to build a cloud information management system to manage machine transactions and all types of gaming operations. The result: the AXES was born. Since then we have dedicated our time and effort to building tools and innovation to become the cloud leader of information management in our industry. Our journey has not been easy, as being a pioneer never is, but with the government partnerships we have now; we are look back with a smile and confidence look towards the future.

Q. What kind of responses have you received from your consumers over the years? Have they motivated you to shape your offerings/grow the company?

Yes, client requests often shape the products we offer. Let’s take an example from one of our clients. A Poland government agency seeks to establish a safer, responsible environment for the players. We have to evolve with them and deliver a highly customizable responsible gaming module that offers real-time player protection country-wide. The polish players, once registered, can now enjoy configurable spending limits and even adjust the time and schedule they are allowed to spend on slot machines, simply by modifying the player profile preferences. Essentially, we have implemented government guidelines to protect the players against themselves. We had to build rules to regulate changes allowed by the players while incorporating everything into a transparent blockchain. Moreover, we needed to answer the questions: who is allowed to change the rules, and how, when and within what parameters? It’s been a lot of effort to ensure the solution was world class and at the same time a great privilege to work with this client to deliver the powerful responsible gaming module we developed.

Q. How do you maintain your customers’ trust and loyalty?

We help them in daily operations, around the clock. We have an incredible support team understand that we must be present in real-time, all the time. We have data transaction specialists that stay in touch with operators. From time to time, clients have interrogations on transactions and we answer promptly. In other situations, we reach out to them to shed light onto suspicious activities and possible fraud from employees and patrons. This way we protect gaming operations and help maintain a secure environment for institutions and operators.

Q. A small company/business is defined by its core values. What are your company’s core values and how did they help you to succeed?

Our core values are simple: serve our customers to the very best of our ability, listen to their needs and be there for them 24/7. Our job is to protect our customers from fraud and theft and we do so by constant innovation as well as offering event alerts that can be programmed as per the customer’s requirements. We empower governments and corporations with information whilst protecting data integrity and making sense of it. Our system and applications rely on three fundamental technologies: IoT, Blockchain and AI. With many thousands of connected slot machines, terminals and devices, we aggregate a tremendous amount of raw data. All these connected entities constitute our IoT environment, where we capture, store and decipher all transactions. Our technology also relies on blockchain as we believe it is the only way to guarantee non contamination and prevent any potential manipulation of the raw data we accumulate; data is set in stone on our private blockchain. We see it as an evolution of the traditional databases, used by most of the companies in the industry. Finally, with Artificial Intelligence, we can empower big data to predictability. We believe AI will contribute to data-driven decisions and highlight elements that human interactivity could not do without tremendous effort. With this triad, we seek to spearhead innovation and transform our industry and lead it to the next generation of technologies.

Q. How does your company contribute to the gaming industry at large?

As the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the International Gaming Standards Association (GSA), and being the GSA Blockchain Chair, I have the privilege and the forum to voice the AXES vision to ensure it is heard by the industry. AXES brought blockchain technology awareness to the land-based casino industry. We were the first to stress how critical data protection and transparency are through the power of blockchain, and that they should always form part of any discussion.

Q. Do you have any new products ready to be launched?

We’re about to launch a Global Transaction App (GTA). This web-based application features many useful tools for cashiers in gaming establishments, such as redeeming tickets from the phone camera, creating customized promotions, tracking all cashier activities and transactions, and reporting in real-time to operators. This is the core technology required to create a seamless cashless environment from the player to the establishment. Once GTA is in production we will start the player’s app called Butler. Butler will manage the same types of transactions and much more but from the player’s needs.

Q. Where do you see your company a couple of years from now?

We are well on our way to becoming the leader in our field of information management, fintech and machine management. Our AXES for GOVERNMENT technology solution is operational usage in Poland and we will grow rapidly in this segment. So in a few years we see ourselves as an information and technology leader in our industry. Our goal is to protect and predict using IoT, Blockchain and AI.

Earle G. Hall: CEO at AXES, GSA Blockchain Chair, 2X TEDx Speaker & Veteran

Born and raised in Placentia, NL Canada, Earle G. Hall is an internationally recognized entrepreneur, visionary and innovator in several fields of technology. Earle is a graduate of the Royal Military College and a Veteran Officer. He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration and is pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Psychology.

Earle is the CEO of AXES.ai; a blockchain based IoT Fintech, present in more than 45 countries. He is the Gaming Standards Association Blockchain Chair and advocates for Responsible Gaming. Earle’s focus is on big data, information correlation, predictability, and behaviour triggers.

Earle’s research centers around neuroscience, human behaviour, purpose and personal growth. He is an acclaimed keynote speaker in technology and psychology and has addressed audiences all over the world at events, such as TEDx and Wanderlust.

Earle is a proud dad of an incredible son and believes children are born to follow their dreams and aspirations.

“With thousands of connected slot machines, terminals and devices, we aggregate a tremendous amount of raw data. All these connected entities constitute our IoT environment, where we capture, store and decipher all transactions.”