The Nevada Gaming Control Board has approved ACS PlayOn, a cashless wagering system that allows a player to swipe a debit card at a table game and receive chips. The system was approved after a successful field trial on two tables at the Red Rock Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The system, produced by Reno-based Automated Cash Systems Inc., has been live in California casinos for three years. It allows a player to swipe a debit card and enter a PIN to receive chips, eliminating cash from the equation. The transaction takes place on a small handheld device, slightly larger than a smartphone, positioned at the table. Players are handed the mobile unit, and use it just as they would similar devices at grocery store registers everywhere. Players request the amount they wish to receive, enter their PIN and, on bank approval, are issued a receipt.
Simultaneously, the dealer gets a ticket dispensed from a printer under the table and treats it just like cash. All standard table game drop and accounting procedures are followed. Unlike markers, there is no interruption in play for others as the transactions are processed.
The ACS PlayOn proprietary system and handheld devices are PCI DSS-compliant, making each transaction much more secure than using Android or iOS smartphones. PCI DSS is the payment card industry’s data security standards that all the major card brands and banks require.
“Cashless transactions are overdue in the gaming world, largely due to concerns about problem gaming,” the company said in a press release. “By using PIN debit instead of a credit card transaction, players cannot spend more than their bank allows. Unlike markers or hold checks, players cannot run up large debt. Nor can they face huge credit card balances or high interest charges inherit with other proposed solutions.”
Advantages for operators include non-interrupted play, a real-time financial accounting/reconciliation system, and surveillance that creates an “image” of every transaction and ticket issued.
There are no concerns about Title 31 CTR paperwork at the tables. When only dealing with debit cards and chips, no cash is involved and therefore there is no money-laundering danger. Later, when a player cashes out at a cage, all standard Title 31 procedures apply.
ACS COO Steve Warner noted that hold percentages go up when using this system. “In addition to a major increase in guest convenience, when players can play without interruption all the metrics improve, including hold, hands per hour and theoretical win,” he said. “Players remain engaged at the game.”
ACS PlayOn is available now throughout Nevada, New Jersey and in most Native American jurisdictions. There is no upfront cost for operators, as the system is financed through a portion of the standard POS fees. While it is configurable to any level by the operator, most PIN debit fees are lower than ATM or credit card advance transactions, and many operators have chosen to pass those savings along to their customers.
