A new digital wallet that is aimed at reducing money-laundering risks and gambling-related harm is being rolled out for the first time in New South Wales (NSW). According to reports, up to 200 people are set to take part in the trial.
Kevin Anderson, the Minister for Hospitality and Racing, has shared that so-called e-wallets are being tested as part of a first-time initiative that is focused on helping managers of brick-and-mortar venues and law enforcement officials recognise money-laundering cases. He has revealed that the trial is part of an initiative aimed at providing more flexibility to consumers and better control over their spending.
The trial, which will go on for three months, is set to test how the technology works in real-life conditions, as well as the potential benefits that the technology may have for both gambling venues and their patrons.
Now, customers of Club West in Western Australia are able to use their mobile phones to play games on a total of 36 electronic gambling machines (EGMs) on the Internet thanks to technology that had been created by Aristocrat Gaming. The company used a Bluetooth connection between the gaming machine and the customer’s mobile phone, with players being able to deposit money directly into the game from their digital wallet.
Patrons Will be Able to Choose from Various Types of Limits
Mr Anderson revealed that players will be given the opportunity to set time or spending limits, check their spending data in real-time, access various responsible gambling services and tools through their digital wallet, and take a break from gambling or self-exclude themselves from the games.
The NSW Minister for Hospitality and Gaming shared that the digital wallet required every player to confirm their identity before they are allowed to play in the first place, with the service also being linked to the player’s bank account or debit card, which basically means that state authorities would be able to identify where the money used for gambling had come from in case such a source-of-funds check was necessary. He further revealed that the Government of New South Wales has given the nod to three other manufacturers apart from Aristocrat Gaming to conduct similar trials – Scientific Games, International Game Technology (IGT), and Utopia Gaming, with another application currently being under evaluation.
The new technology developed by Aristocrat Gaming allows players to set various types of limits associated with session length, frequency of play, the amount spent, as well as the amount of the player’s overall bets. Users are given the chance to choose which type of limit to activate or choose multiple limits that need to apply for at least 24 hours before being changed.
As explained by Phil Gardner, the chief executive officer of The West Group, the initiative has been unveiled in order to enhance the patron experience and, at the same time, introduce a new level of safety and convenience. Mr Gardner shared that many of the group’s patrons had wanted digital payments, so this trial would offer them exactly what they had desired. At the same time, they would be able to use the new digital tools to contact staff members, set various limits and even exclude themselves from the West Club if they wanted to.
- Author
Daniel Williams
