Gambling Tech Pioneer Roy Student Dies at Age 83

Roy Student, a pioneering figure in gambling technology known for his ability to recognize emerging technological trends and understand their potential impact on the gambling industry, passed away on September 5 following a long illness. What Was Student’s Life Before Going Into the Gambling Industry? Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1943, Student grew up with modest beginnings. His natural drive, curiosity, and determination would eventually take him around the world and help shape a remarkable career, establishing him as a respected and influential figure in the gaming industry. Long before entering the world of technology, Student distinguished himself as a talented athlete. As a boy, he played stickball on the streets of New York and later became a standout baseball player at Bayside High School. His skills on the baseball diamond caught the attention of the New York Yankees, the team he had admired since childhood. The Yankees scouted Student and ultimately offered him the opportunity to join their AAA organization. This was a pivotal moment for the young man, as his athletic talent earned him a scholarship to the New York Institute of Technology, where he continued to distinguish himself as a gifted and accomplished athlete. In 1964, Student met Judy, and the two married the following year, beginning a partnership that would span more than six decades. Together, they raised two sons, Glenn and Darren, and built a close-knit family that remained at the heart of Student’s life. Student Leaves a Rich Career Behind Later in life, Roy Student joined General Instrument Corporation. That decision would prove pivotal, eventually taking him to Las Vegas and marking the beginning of an extraordinary career in gaming technology. In 1972, when MGM acquired a casino in Las Vegas, the company looked for a way to automate accounting functions on the casino floor, including tracking markers and table-game bankrolls. Student’s company won the contract, marking the beginning of his career in the gaming industry. He later helped establish Gaming Systems International (GSI), which developed player-rating systems that would become a fundamental part of casino operations and remain widely used throughout the gaming industry today. Student sold GSI in 2001 and went on to become president of Cyberview Technology, which pioneered the development of server-based gaming systems that connected slot machines to a central server. IGT acquired the company in 2007, and the technology Student helped pioneer has since become commonplace in casinos around the world as well as in online gaming. Applied Management Strategies was Student’s next venture as he served as a consultant to many of the world’s leading gaming companies. During this period, he also became a leading advocate for recognizing the importance of non-gaming revenue, which is the additional spending generated by casino customers, whether or not they actively gambled. This insight helped shape the evolution of player rewards programs, and today, spending beyond gaming is a standard component of major casino loyalty and rewards systems. Spanning several decades, Student’s career was pivotal in shaping what the modern gambling industry looks like, which earned him a reward in 2023 at ICE London, one of the biggest industry events for B2B companies in the gaming sector.