An article published in the Las Vegas Review Journal drew attention to the crucial role interactive solutions and cashless technologies may have in the aftermath of the fight against the coronavirus. As a result, mobile technologies may come up to the forefront in 2021.
One of the industries that were hit particularly hard with the anti-pandemic restrictions was the casino industry. We have yet to see the end of the global threat to human health, and its course will likely have a major impact on the prospects of gaming.
The Nevada and Las Vegas venues are doing everything they can to prepare for any changes that may impact the way they run their businesses. Even though the prognoses cannot be overly optimistic, technology may save the day.
Brendan Bussmann, a Global Market Advisors partner, asserts that there is only one way for companies to avoid becoming too dependent on land-based casinos, and that is with the help of technology.
Debi Nutton, the former vice president of casino operations at Encore and Wynn Las Vegas, seems to agree with Bussmann. Nutton states that Las Vegas, as well as the global casino industry, will likely be heavily reliant on technology in the near future.
The Future Is Cashless
Even though Nutton gained most of her casino experience at a time when the industry was largely dependent on close social contact, she is not biased toward innovation. She argues that digital solutions will become the new norm in 2021. Indeed, California and Florida seem to be the pioneers in the realm of cashless transactions.
We can already see how cashless transactions have been incorporated in the online sphere of casinos, of which there are countless sites, much like the slot wolf casino, no deposit bonus included.
Nutton states that guests will open their room doors with mobile phones, and they will likely use the same principle to access anything on casino resorts in Nevada and elsewhere. She adds that gaming itself is transforming, as well, with mobile and cashless technologies becoming widely accepted in an effort to reduce physical contact.
Touchless Technology as the Norm
Touchless technologies will become the standard of the casino experience in the future, and the gaming regulators’ main focus in the years to come will be on setting up rigorous standards, asserts Virginia Valentine, the Nevada Resort Association president.
However, she notes that mobile technologies being on the doorstep doesn’t mean that resorts and casinos will be more lenient with health and safety measures.
Rather, it is to be expected that they will introduce new cleaning schedules and reinforce other measures to establish better hygienic and health conditions. They are also likely to “re-imagine buffets” and institute new ways of conduct in casinos.
Bussmann agrees that cashless payments are the future. He states that, at the moment, 19 states have completed the process of sports betting legalization, with eight more ready to do so in the near future. Besides, more and more states are jumping on the bandwagon, with even Texas and Massachusetts getting ready to legalize sports betting.
However, Bussmann remains convinced that the restrictions are likely to be in effect for a while longer. One of them is the 25% capacity limit, which has been among the most pressing issues for casinos built to accommodate thousands of guests at once.
Since Nevada and Las Vegas have been having problems dealing with the virus effectively, Bussmann warns that the recovery is very frail at the moment. In the case that the infection continues to spread and the restrictions stay in place, the recovery will halt.
At the same time, Visa came out with the news about using cashless transactions during the central sporting event of the year.
