Newly independent Pavilion Payments plans to expand its offerings and its workforce in the near future.
“As a standalone company, we will be able to invest more of our resources into product innovation, growing our organization, and expanding our brick-and-mortar and online verticals,” CEO Christopher Justice said. “In the coming months, we plan on growing our organization by around 50 percent.” The company, based in Las Vegas, has about 180 employees.
Pavilion previously was the gaming industry component of Global Payments, a Fortune 500 company providing payment technology in more than 170 countries. Parthenon Capital Partners, a private equity firm, bought that segment for $415 million in April.
Pavilion, overseen by the management team it had with Global Payments, emphasizes its ability to make all types of payments easy and efficient for operators and patrons, for gaming and non-gaming purchases and for in-person and online wagering. The new company’s name underscores the availability of an integrated gaming solution under one roof.
That “360-degree integration” covers every level of gaming payments, Justice said. “Whether it be in-person or online, gaming or non-gaming transactions, we offer solutions that increase efficiency for operators and create a simple, enjoyable payment experience for the patron.”
Pavilion’s VIP Preferred e-check program connects to more than 400 in-person and online gaming institutions, allowing patrons to transfer their funds between all of them after a one-time enrollment. In mid-April, Pavilion announced that 13 sites had been added to the VIP Preferred network to enable the use of online banking credentials. VIP Mobility is a part of the VIP Preferred integrated suite of programs enabling cashless gaming from funding through cash-out. The VIP Financial Center is Pavilion’s self-service kiosk providing TITO redemption, bill breaking, ATM, e-check, and cash advance capabilities.
“This creates a unified payments experience across the entire property,” Justice said. “We have observed that providing patrons with more payments options leads to more spending on the casino floor. When our customers use more of the products and services within the 360-degree integrated environment, they tend to be more engaged and generate higher transaction volumes.”
He said Pavilion’s VIP Preferred Concierge Program, which provides in-person help for patrons enrolling in or learning to use VIP Preferred or VIP Mobility, is the first of its kind.
“The response has been incredibly encouraging,” he added. “The Concierge Program helps gaming institutions with cashless adoption and goes a long way in improving the overall gaming experience.” He added that VIP Mobility has the highest retention rate in the industry, about 50 percent higher than the average. More than 43 percent of users are classified as active, and 42 percent are “highly engaged.”
“Instead of fussing over which payment method you must use, patrons can use the same payment method no matter what,” Justice said. “Customers who use our products and services tend to have more time to spend on the gaming floor, which can lead to higher gaming volume and higher satisfaction levels.”
He said Pavilion continues to focus on ways to improve the customer experience. For example, the introduction of online bank credentialing for VIP Preferred streamlines enrollment, he said. Another option is Choice4, which enables clients to extend e-check settlements by seven, 14, 21, or 28 days, where regulations allow. The funds are drawn from the patron’s account on the agreed-upon date.
Justice said the popularity of iGaming and online sports betting played a key role in the recent expansion of the gaming industry, but institutions and payment providers will need to work together to ensure continued growth.
“Our goal is to give casino patrons as many options as possible,” Justice said. “These sorts of solutions are what set us apart, and it is what we will continue to do as Pavilion Payments.”
