Evaluating the impact of cashless gambling for electronic gaming machines
Session Title
Session 2-1-D: Policy and Regulation, Part 4
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation
Location
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Start Date
24-5-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
24-5-2023 10:30 AM
Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract
Gambling venues are responding to consumer demands and societal demands to provide options for cashless payments. Electronic gaming machines have been predominately cash-based, however, industry-based options are emerging to provide options for digital payments. In Australia, cashless payments in venues are in their infancy and being explored through in-venue trials including through regulatory sandbox cooperations with policy makers.
Advantages of cashless gambling payments include convenience, security, customer identification and tracking with related responsible gambling benefits of accurate activity statements, self-set spend limits, identification of risk and tailored communication. Disadvantages may include a lack of friction in spend and lower consideration or awareness of spend leading to excessive spend and gambling harms.
This presentation will share findings from recent research on the impact of cashless gambling with a focus on the impact of payment methods on the experience of gambling harms and development of gambling problems.
Statement of implications
Public health concerns about cash handling during the COVID-19 pandemic, recent royal commission findings of money laundering through gaming venues, and the potential to leverage digital technologies for enhanced harm reduction strategy mean this presentation on cashless gambling should be a priority on the agenda of regulators and policy makers.
Keywords
cashless, payment, digital, wallet, electronic gaming machines
Funding Sources
tbd
Competing Interests
Professor Gainsbury has worked on numerous projects with funding and in-kind support provided by government, industry, and community organisations. Please refer to her academic profile for more details. https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/about/our-people/academic-staff/sally-gainsbury.html
Evaluating the impact of cashless gambling for electronic gaming machines
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Gambling venues are responding to consumer demands and societal demands to provide options for cashless payments. Electronic gaming machines have been predominately cash-based, however, industry-based options are emerging to provide options for digital payments. In Australia, cashless payments in venues are in their infancy and being explored through in-venue trials including through regulatory sandbox cooperations with policy makers.
Advantages of cashless gambling payments include convenience, security, customer identification and tracking with related responsible gambling benefits of accurate activity statements, self-set spend limits, identification of risk and tailored communication. Disadvantages may include a lack of friction in spend and lower consideration or awareness of spend leading to excessive spend and gambling harms.
This presentation will share findings from recent research on the impact of cashless gambling with a focus on the impact of payment methods on the experience of gambling harms and development of gambling problems.
Statement of implications
Public health concerns about cash handling during the COVID-19 pandemic, recent royal commission findings of money laundering through gaming venues, and the potential to leverage digital technologies for enhanced harm reduction strategy mean this presentation on cashless gambling should be a priority on the agenda of regulators and policy makers.
Comments
update can be provided prior to abstract publication