Las Vegas-based payment solution provider Sightline Payments and Vancouver-based Bencon Technologies Inc. have entered into a partnership to bridge the current technological gap between digital self-exclusion functions and payment services.
The goal of the partnership is to ensure at-risk patrons are denied access to content or payment services in real time, through a link between Sightline’s GameSecure database solution and Sightline’s payment systems.
The first quarter of 2019 has resulted in a number of violations of self-excluded patrons gaining access to content in the U.S. market, meaning regulator fines have been issued to non-compliant operators. GameSecure’s real-time database solution ensures these patrons do not gain access to digital content once self-excluded and by partnering with Sightline’s Play+ platform, it creates another barrier to a patron’s payment activity.
“The Sightline team has been committed to responsible gaming for more than 20 years, and we are very excited to announce this important partnership,” said Cameron Conn, co-founder of Bencon Technologies Inc. “We strongly believe there is not a singular solution to completely address all aspects of player protection and responsible gaming. However, partnerships like these allow for better solutions that will give continued insights into at-risk behavior for improved responsible gaming programs.”
“Sightline is in a unique position because our Play+ ecosystem, in the US, connects to nearly 100 percent of all digital platforms and 90 percent-plus of all casino management systems, allowing for a uniform capability for a network-wide self-exclusion program through our SPAN Network,” said Kirk Sanford, CEO and founder of Sightline Payments.
A primary goal of the partnership will be to work with the responsible and problem gambling communities to ensure these new solutions will work to enhance future programs for player protection.
“The Responsible Gambling Council is pleased to hear about the partnership between GameSecure and Sightline,” said Shelley White, CEO of Canada’s Responsible Gaming Council. “We believe that safeguards are imperative to the success of any self-exclusion program.”
Keith Whyte, executive director of the U.S. National Council on Problem Gaming, added, “Congratulations to Bencon and Sightline for this step to further integrate responsible gaming into payment methods for the industry. Streamlining player protection is an important goal for the National Council on Problem Gambling, and we are pleased to support this innovative effort.”
“Self-exclusion programs have been in existence for years with the on-premise ATM providers; however, until now nothing has existed for the digital world, which is where the industry is moving,” added Sanford.
Bencon is currently working with multiple jurisdictions in the United States and internationally to integrate GameSecure into their responsible gaming programs.
