IGT, a subsidiary of casino slot machine maker International Game Technology Plc, announced on Wednesday that it will work with JOINGO LLC, a casino mobile application developer owned by Sightline Payments LLC, to help casino operators develop mobile applications.
In a joint written statement, IGT and Sightline said nearly 100 United States-based casinos have used JOINGO to create their mobile apps.
The press release said JOINGO’s cloud-based system allowed casino operators to send targeted messages, create “geofences”, e.g., limit use of applications to certain venues or geographical locations – and view advanced analytics through personalised and interactive mobile campaigns aimed at increasing reach to customers, their loyalty, and revenue from them.
Ryan Reddy, IGT senior vice president for video lottery terminals, systems and payments, was quoted as saying that as the adoption of cashless gaming “continues to grow”, then “questions around mobile app strategy come up more and more”.
Kirk Olson, Sightline senior vice president for mobile, was cited in the release as saying the partnership with IGT would “provide casinos… with an innovative, guest-friendly experience that will accelerate the adoption of cashless gaming”.
The announcement said the latest tie up was part of an overall partnership between Sightline and IGT, announced in early October, to deliver cashless gaming to consumers. This was via Sightline’s digital commerce platform Play+, and respectively, IGT’s IGTPay; IGT’s Resort Wallet – part of the IGT Advantage casino management system; and IGT’s PlaySports sports betting platform.
Sightline’s Play+ was added as a funding method into the land-based gaming cashless wagering process available under IGTPay and via Resort Wallet.
The Play+ Mastercard system has also been made available at the Resorts World Las Vegas casino complex, a US$4.3-billion project developed by Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd in Nevada, in the United States, and which opened in late June.
Genting group was among investors that raised US$100 million for Sightline to acquire JOINGO in June.
Marcus Prater, executive director of industry trade body the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), commented in September on the role within the land-based casino industry, of cashless gaming, amid interest in stepping up transaction security, even leaving aside the biosecurity issues raised by cash payments during the Covid-19 pandemic.
