Global Payments’ VIP Mobility app adds cashless options for non-gaming purchases

April 6, 2022 7:19 PM
  • Mark Gruetze, CDC Gaming Reports
April 6, 2022 7:19 PM
  • Mark Gruetze, CDC Gaming Reports

Global Payments’ VIP Mobility now allows customers to use the app to make cashless payments for non-gaming purchases at a casino, including hotel, restaurant, and entertainment charges.

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The app, initially limited to buy-ins at slot machines and table games, also gives users an option to defer settling their transactions for up to 28 days, potentially putting more money in play during a casino visit.

The recent enhancements “create a complete resort experience” by giving patrons an easy-to-use cashless payment method accepted throughout a casino property, said Christopher Justice, president of Global Payments Gaming Solutions. In addition to streamlining payments, “VIP Mobility gives operators a bird’s-eye view of where guests are spending their time,” he added.

VIP Mobility debuted in May 2021, letting customers fund their in-person casino wagering by using virtual TITO tickets instead of cash. Members of Global Payments’ VIP Preferred account network use the app to transfer funds instantaneously from their bank account to the VIP Mobility app. They can use their phone to reload their gaming account, or cash out whenever they like.

Justice said casinos in California and Oklahoma currently offer VIP Mobility, and the company expects to see more sites adopt it, “especially as we continue to optimize and expand the app’s capabilities.”

VIP Mobility is not used for online sites.

“We’ve seen a high adoption rate and ongoing utilization rate among higher-value players within the casino database,” Justice said. “However, when developing VIP Mobility, we wanted to make sure it would appeal to all patrons, regardless of their age, favorite game to play, or way to play it. As a result, players of all types rush to adopt VIP Mobility. As patrons continue to use VIP Mobility their level of trust in the app, as well as transaction volumes, continue to grow.”

The recently added “Choice4” option gives customers the ability to put more cash in play by delaying the settlement of transactions for between seven and 28 days, based on the understanding they will have the funds in their designated bank account by the due date. Justice said the transactions are free to patrons and seamlessly integrate with the VIP Preferred network. VIP Preferred is a decades-old e-check network available in more than 400 North American land-based and online gaming locations.

Justice acknowledged that the trend toward cashless wagering has raised concerns about its impact on responsible gaming. He said VIP Mobility provides safeguards such as giving players the ability to set spending limits to stay within their budget, schedule “cooling off” periods, and even practice self-exclusion.

“More than 3 million [casino] patrons rely on Global Payments for simple, safe, and responsible play,” Justice said.

Justice predicted “a significant proportion” of in-person players will move to cashless betting in the next three to five years because of the benefits it offers. He said VIP Mobility empowers operators to overcome the limitations of legacy technology to enhance casinos’ consumer-focused approach to live gaming.

Instead of requiring customers to wait in line at the ATM or casino cage to get money or cash in their chips, the VIP Mobility app and VIP Preferred account network enable casino patrons to access their money instantaneously with their phones. Players also can move money from one operator to any other operator using VIP Preferred. Customers need to sign up for VIP Preferred only once, and enrollment can be completed online.

In casinos that offer VIP Mobility, the app is available to all customers regardless of whether they are members of VIP Preferred. Members can use their app by linking their bank account; players who are not in VIP Preferred can scan vouchers into the app to fund their play.

Justice said the signup process for some gaming wallets takes about an hour, causing a “major pain point” for customers. Because VIP Mobility does not keep money in a separate system, new users can enroll in less than five minutes. “The bank’s existing AML controls and the casino’s TITO controls make it simple to set up an account,” he said. “Additionally, VIP Mobility delivers hardened bank-grade security to casinos’ complex gaming environments to ensure each transaction is secure.”

Because of the public’s growing acceptance of cashless gaming transactions, Global Payments also updated its Partner Assist program, offered in conjunction with marketing technology firm Engaged Nation. Through Partner Assist, operators can create a branded website offering patrons daily chances to win entries in cash drawings and participate in other contests. The program, launched last year, provides operators with a new way to engage directly with consumers, ultimately building loyalty in ways not possible through traditional gaming methods, Justice said.