The revolutionary technology was selected for this prestigious industry award by a panel of gaming technology experts, including Katrina Lane, senior vice president and chief technology officer for Caesars Entertainment; Bob Ambrose, a professor and independent gaming consultant; Dan Garrow, chief information officer for Oneida Nation Enterprises; Donald Kneisel, vice president of information technology for Resorts Casino Hotel.

"The HOT Awards highlights only the most cutting-edge technology for the global gaming and hospitality industries, and the NFC-enabled Mobile Keys Solution is truly an innovative breakthrough,” says Amanda Huggett, managing editor of Casino Enterprise Management magazine. “We think this technology is definitely integral to the future of hotel check-in, and our HOT Awards judges clearly agreed."

Formally launched in June, the ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys Solution features a combination of VingCard Elsafe's VISIONLINE system, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and advanced NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. By incorporating these cutting-edge locking technologies, the ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys Solution allows hotel guests to check-in remotely via computers or web-enabled mobile devices and bypass the front desk at check-in by using their NFC-enabled mobile phones as virtual guestroom keys.

This mobile and remote check-in solution is based on NFC, a secure delivery infrastructure for distributing and managing virtual keys securely on mobile devices, using a short-range wireless communication technology standard that enables the exchange of data between devices over about 10 centimeters. It is expected that nearly 30% of all mobile phones shipped in 2015 will be NFC-capable.

Using the ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys Solution, guests' hotel room numbers and digital encrypted hotel keys are sent securely to the guest’s mobile phone. Upon arrival, they can bypass the front desk and proceed directly to their hotel rooms, and the hotel room doors are unlocked by simply holding the phone near the access reader. The solution uses only NFC signals, requiring no additional action by the guest, such as dialing a number at the door, making it the quickest, most convenient and most reliable solution on the market.

The ASSA ABOY Mobile Keys Solution includes end-to-end security features to prevent unauthorized parties from using lost or stolen mobile devices to access rooms. Security managers can add, remove or update access rights for any users instantly, regardless of whether the door locks are online or offline. The solution works with existing RFID locks, including VingCard Elsafe’s Signature RFID locking solution, without the need to add any new hardware.

The backbone of the solution is VingCard’s VISIONLINE system, which features standalone electronic locks that communicate with a central property server, eliminating the need to manually encode keycards, cancel master cards and check battery life. A remote audit trail and live card-tracking capabilities provide valuable intelligence in the event of a guest dispute. Optional advanced communication functionality keeps hotel management constantly in the loop regarding security issues via automated text message or email.

The ASSA ABOY Mobile Keys Solution, along with the rest of the winning products, will be featured in the October issue of Casino Enterprise Management and online at www.casinoenterprisemanagement.com.

For demonstrations of the technology, visit http://www.youtube.com/vingcardelsafe and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNhleCZkpqI.

VingCard Elsafe is the world leader in developing locking systems for the hospitality industry, offering user-friendly security systems that meet the unique operational needs of hotels and resorts. For more information, visit www.vingcardelsafe.com.

The world leader in hotel security technology, VingCard Elsafe has products installed in more than 39,000 properties worldwide, securing in excess of 6.5 million hotel rooms and is part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, a publicly listed company. VingCard provides numerous electronic locking system solutions, including traditional magnetic-stripe, smartcard systems and the latest RFID electronic locks compatible with the main ISO standards: ISO 14.443A (MIFARE), ISO 14.443B, ISO15.693 and NFC-compatible (Near Field Communication), fully integrated PMS interface software solutions, as well as the world leader in wireless online locking solutions for hotels based on ZigBee secured open platform. VingCard has worldwide service and support in more than 166 countries. Elsafe provides the only UL-listed (1037) hotel safe series on the market today in keypad and card-based models. Elsafe Safes include a UL-listed internal power outlet to support recharging of laptops and camcorders, full wireless online capabilities and RFID versions compatible with VingCard system. Elsafe customers also enjoy the same worldwide service and support. Orion by VingCard Elsafe is the new Energy Management Solution that reduces energy consumption, ensures guest comfort and contributes to improve hotels green initiatives. The ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group is dedicated to the hospitality industry. For more information on VingCard Elsafe, visit www.vingcardelsafe.com