Public Gaming Magazine July/August 2020

39 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2020 be added very soon. While reducing players’ need to carry and handle cash, it also helps shorten ATM line-ups on the property for improved social distancing. EXTERNAL FUNDING IN THE PALM OF THE PLAYER’S HAND IGTPay is IGT’s proprietary payment gate- way, enabling players to responsibly move funds electronically in and out of their digital casino wallet from authorized external sourc- es. e Resort Wallet with IGTPay solution is available as a turnkey, add-on module for IGT ADVANTAGE casino management sys- tem customers who want to give their players a secure, e ortless cashless wagering option through an external funding source. IGT ADVANTAGE enables responsible gaming information to be displayed through the slot machine’s Service Window or a player’s mobile device. e IGT casino management system also supports setting of deposit limits in player accounts. Unlike other options on the market, Resort Wallet with IGTPay can provide direct access to all available major external funding meth- ods, including credit and debit cards, eWallets, and bank accounts. While other funding suppliers have no choice but to integrate their gateway solution into another vendor’s casino management system, IGTPay is tightly coupled with its IGT ADVANTAGE system for e ortless, one-step access to external fund- ing sources. “Our proven IGTPay cashless technology has successfully enhanced the player experience in the U.S. digital gaming and lottery verticals for several years — it’s live and proven in the U.S. with iLottery and iGaming partners, including Penn National and three state lotter- ies,” Reddy said. “By o ering it to land-based casino operators as part of the Resort Wallet module for our IGT ADVANTAGE casino management sys- tem, and by including ongoing support from IGT’s experienced payments services experts, our customers can easily leverage rst-mover advantage and bene t from the increased liquidity, e ciencies, and safety that cashless can deliver.” In addition to the Resort Wallet with IGTPay technology, IGT’s experienced Payments team supports operators in all aspects of payment- related services, including being the Merchant of Record, which means IGT enters the contract with the payment services providers. IGT also provides vendor management, funds management, risk management, and player support services. e Payments team has been delivering these services since January 2018 to iLottery, iGaming and retail lottery vend- ing clients, saving them the risk, hassle, and distraction of managing an external funding service by themselves on an ongoing basis. By minimizing the need for players to carry cash and visit ATMs at a casino property, Resort Wallet with IGTPay can signi cantly reduce cash handling by both patrons and employees, and encourage social distancing by signi cantly reducing line-ups on the gaming oor. GOING THE SOCIAL DISTANCE WITH IGT ADVANTAGE IGT’s Service Window helps operators en- hance communication with their players and o er a personalized, kiosk-like experience di- rectly on the game screen for activities, such as reviewing and activating promotions or entering drawings. e kiosk-like functional- ity also reduces the need for line-ups on the gaming oor. IGT’s Taxable Accrual product gives players the opportunity to process jackpots them- selves through the slot machine’s Service Window or secondary display. As a result, players don’t need to wait for an attendant to perform hand pays or complete multiple tax forms. Instead, eligible players can continue playing mere sec- onds after winning and accept- ing their jackpots, eliminating the need for direct contact with casino sta . IGT’s Mobile Responder auto- matically recognizes and reports events from the casino oor, sending noti cations of slot machine events such as ticket jams, service calls, and jackpots directly to employees’ mobile devices. Mobile Responder can also be con gured to immedi- ately notify a oor attendant when a slot machine needs to be sanitized for the next player. In addition to making players and employees more com- fortable on the gaming oor, it also enables greater machine uptime and increases guest satisfaction. Mobile Jackpot empowers casino sta to process jackpots at the slot machine. Autho- rized employees simply log in to the Mobile Jackpot app to process hand pays, including tax forms, without having to travel back to the kiosk or workstation. Mobile Host can also empower casinos’ Player Development teams to identify and register uncarded players and cater to hosted players from one simple app. By enrolling uncarded players directly at the machine, casinos can increase database growth while helping players to stay in their safe space rather than line up at the Player’s Club desk or kiosk. Mobile Responder, Mobile Jackpot, and Mobile Host all minimize multiple player and employee exposure points and improve customer service. Players can receive individ- ual attention to address their needs directly at the machine, supporting greater social distancing protocols and reducing personal safety concerns on the casino oor. Finally, the Machine Accounting module in the IGT ADVANTAGE portfolio allows an operator to remotely disable slot machines from a desktop application. Operators can quickly deactivate and reactivate machines to ensure adequate social distancing between players. e COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new era for the casino industry. While opera- tors work to recover from the shutdown’s impact, technology exists to accelerate that recovery and help them meet the challenge of maintaining a secure, frictionless operation — one where players can relax and safely engage with their favorite games. n