"The next era for JCM will be what our customers need it to be: our solutions will evolve to help them meet the moment"

As JCM Global celebrates its 70th anniversary, the company continues to embody the same spirit of innovation that has driven it since its beginnings. From its pioneering work in cash-handling technology to its leadership in systems, digital signage, and automation, JCM has become a key player in shaping operational efficiency and security across gaming floors worldwide.

During G2E 2025, JCM showcased a series of cutting-edge products that reflect this ongoing evolution, including its award-winning ICB ASAP robotic count room solution and advanced CIS-based bill validation technology. In this conversation with Yogonet, Dave Kubajak, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Operations at JCM Global, reflects on seven decades of innovation, the company’s latest breakthroughs, and what lies ahead for casino technology and player engagement.

JCM celebrated 70 years in the gaming industry at G2E. How has innovation shaped your product strategy over the decades, and what does the next era look like?

We did celebrate our 70th anniversary at G2E, and we are incredibly grateful to our clients for their ongoing support and to our staff for their ongoing commitment to our clients.

When you ask about innovation, that’s how JCM began. Back in 1955, our founders created innovative, new technologies for cash machines, and from an empty former airplane hangar, they created what has become JCM.

Each of our team members works hard every day to keep that spirit of innovation alive and to create solutions that help our customers do business better, smarter, and faster. Not just the R&D teams – every team member.

That starts by having meaningful conversations with our customers, hearing and understanding their needs, and then creating solutions for them. It’s that whole-company engagement that has and continues to shape our strategy.

As for what the next era looks like, the next era for JCM will be what our customers need it to be. As their business needs evolve, our solutions will evolve to help our customers meet the moment.

Looking back at this year's edition, what were your key takeaways? What kind of conversations or connections stood out?

We were thrilled that our ICB ASAP robotic count room solution was recognized with the Gold / First Place award for innovation in the Gaming & Technology awards, specifically in the Productivity Enhancement category.

Customers of all sizes across North America were very interested in ICB ASAP and how it can streamline operations and increase compliance. Attendees were also very interested in our core products, such as the iVIZION bill validator, GEN5 thermal printer, and ICB Intelligent Cash Box system.

And of course, our visually stunning Digital Signage Solutions always draw a crowd.

The company showcased its award-winning bill validators at G2E. The iVIZION validator uses CIS technology for front-and-back scanning. Can you tell us more about how features like these improve security and reduce fraud?

Yes, that’s right, our CIS was the first technology of its kind to scan and capture the full note or ticket, front and back.

Where some bill validators scan a few specific points on a note, CIS dramatically increases security by scanning the entire note – front and back – including the serial number.

Plus, CIS captures an image of the full note or ticket, so player disputes are more easily resolved, and counterfeiters, money launderers, and other types of cheats are stopped.

CIS is one of many features that make iVIZION the leading first defense against criminals on the casino floor.

JCM's robust system solutions integrate elements like mobile wallet connectivity and real-time tracking. How do you see this technology changing player engagement on the casino floor?

Some of Yogonet’s readers might not realize it, but JCM is one of the leading systems providers in the gaming industry, and we’ve become a leader because we constantly evolve our solutions to keep our clients ahead of the game.

So, when it comes to changing player behavior and engagement, mobile wallet technology is just one way our solutions have evolved to help our customers meet their players where they are and with evolving consumer preferences.

It’s not so much about changing player engagement as it is about providing players with options for how they want to pay for their play.

With your digital signage solutions, like CLEAR displays and LED walls, how are casinos leveraging these tools to enhance guest experience beyond traditional messaging?

This has been incredibly exciting to be involved with. Our customers have used our Digital Signage Solutions in an astounding wide range of executions.

For example, MotorCity Casino in Detroit created an entire ceiling using curved LEDs. Other customers have used DSS CLEAR solutions to separate parts of the casino, such as the high limit room from the main casino, or bar or restaurant areas from the casino floor.

We like to say the DSS solutions are limited only by the casino’s imagination, and wow, has that turned out to be true in all the right ways.

Improving efficiency at the casino floor is key to JCM's proposition. How have operators responded to tools enabling automation in the count room? What impact does direct table game funding through CountR access have on players?

Attendees were very interested in TITA because this is a story of player convenience and giving players options to pay for their play that best suits their personal preferences.

Through CountR’s TITA, players easily redeem tickets and other cashless funds for chips, access funds via debit card with the POS, and convert winnings into tickets and cashless, all right at their favorite table game.

TITA also enables operators to monitor live transactional activity. Additionally, TITA optimizes operations and improves cash flow.

For example, TITA is integrated into IGT’s table management system, making it convenient for casinos to keep track of CountR’s information alongside other data such as table refills and player card information.

With emerging trends like AI and enhanced data analytics, what new capabilities can operators expect from JCM in the next few years? Are there differences in adoption or regulatory challenges that affect how JCM deploys these technologies?

If it’s important to our customers, then it’s important to us, and our R&D teams continue to develop products and utilize AI.

As far as adoption goes, like any gaming product, different jurisdictions have different rules and regulations, and we actively build our solutions to widely accepted standards, so that our customers can reap the benefits of our innovations.