Cashless gaming is quickly becoming the norm across North American casinos. Boyd Gaming have announced the BoydPay Digital Wallet, which was previously available at Indiana and Ohio locations, will now be starting a test run at the Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
The new cashless wallet is technically only entering a field trial for the moment, with regulators monitoring it’s use. If everything goes well, Boyd expects they could roll it out to all of their Nevada locations by the summer of 2021.
BoydPay is linked to a player’s B Connected card, the operator’s loyalty program, and can be used to play or cash out on slots. The initiative began when Boyd partnered with Aristocrat in October, 2020.
If Nevada approves its use, Boyd is also hopeful that the technology could then be spread to all of their 28 gaming properties in 10 states.
The push for cashless gaming got serious in 2020, when Covid-19 encouraged brick-and-mortar casinos to adopt stricter safety protocols. Cashless gaming means less people handling loads of filthy cash, and became a natural strategy to pivot to.
Aristocrat Executive Vice President Cath Burns said digital gaming technology is about “making the most innovative products that enhance the guest experience.”
Boyd Gaming Chief Information Officer Blake Rampmaier said the goal is to “create a unique and seamless payment experience.” By getting everything into a cashless wallet, Boyd can not only keep players safer, but also push promotions to players, as well as allow them to “pay for restaurant meals, show tickets or hotel rooms.”
Using blockchain technology, other developers are looking for ways to provide even more value. Bitboss, using the Bitcoin SV blockchain, are offering a cashless solution to casinos that would provide all the same benefits of BoydPay, as well as a perfectly auditable trail of transactions. And thanks to the massively scaling blockchain of Bitcoin SV, it provides cost savings as well.
