Oracle Hires Gaming Veteran Shannon McCallum to Lead Hospitality Tech for Hotel and Casino Brands

Oracle has named Shannon McCallum its new regional vice president, North America Applications Gaming, a move that places a longtime Las Vegas casino operator in charge of shaping technology strategies for hotel and gaming brands, including properties that house video poker floors. McCallum has more than 16 years of operational experience at high-volume properties such as Resorts World Las Vegas, ARIA Resort & Casino and MGM Resorts International.

In her new role, McCallum will oversee product development and advisory services for Oracle’s gaming and hospitality clients, with a focus on contactless check-in systems and automation tools for both guests and team members. The appointment signals Oracle’s continued push into the casino and cruise line technology market.

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McCallum said in an interview with CDC Gaming that her long-standing goal has been to use technology to reduce wait times at front desks while preserving the option for traditional check-in. For dedicated video poker players who visit Las Vegas multiple times a year, that could mean skipping the lobby line and getting to the machines sooner. “Many people come to Las Vegas not just once a year, but four times a year or even more often, especially from neighboring states like California, and to be able to skip the line if there is any kind of a wait pattern and go right to their room for those guests, it’s really attractive,” she said.

During her tenure at Resorts World Las Vegas, McCallum worked with Oracle to implement a “how do I do” functionality that helps new team members learn the property management system by asking questions in natural language. The tool, launched last year, reduces training time and lets staff focus on guest service rather than struggling with software. For casino floors that run video poker banks, quicker staff response to machine issues or payouts could improve the playing experience.

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McCallum also emphasized that technology must be seamless for guests and equally efficient for employees. “We’re always looking for those efficiencies, not just for the guests but for the team members. It’s really important being able to automate functionality within the system,” she said. Automation of routine tasks, she noted, frees team members to handle higher-value interactions, such as answering questions about promotions or directing players to specific video poker machines.

The new role extends beyond Las Vegas. McCallum will work with Oracle’s cruise line clients, where similar check-in and crew management challenges exist. Casino hotels in regional markets across North America are also expected to adopt the technology.

For video poker players, the practical takeaway is that the properties they frequent may soon offer faster check-in via mobile or kiosk, and that the casino staff they interact with will be better trained on in-house systems. While Oracle’s announcement does not address specific video poker features, the underlying infrastructure improvements can make a casino trip more convenient.

McCallum said she sees an opportunity for Oracle to serve as an educator for busy hoteliers. “As hoteliers, they’re focused on the next event, the next big check-in day, the next holiday, the next citywide event. We don’t necessarily have the opportunity when we’re in the hotel environment to keep ourselves educated,” she noted. Her focus will include regular communication about upcoming features and long-term roadmaps.

This appointment is part of a broader trend in which casino operators and technology vendors collaborate to modernize guest experiences. Video poker rooms at properties using Oracle’s platform could benefit indirectly from the same digital upgrades that improve hotel operations.

Source: CDC Gaming Reports – https://cdcgaming.com/with-oracle-longtime-gaming-veteran-shannon-mccallum-plans-to-improve-hotel-cruise-line-services/