Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | December 2008 38 N ew technology is slowly rolling across the globe that will not only make cashless gaming systems more secure, but also add features that will improve the customer experience in casinos—provided casinos are willing to pay the extra cost. The technology is the Smart Card, which is already being used in casinos in Europe and elsewhere, and has begun to appear in North America. The Smart Card goes one better than the mag-stripe card still used in many casinos worldwide. “The main difference between the two cards is how they store information,” said Roger Bushong, sales account manager with CardLogix in Irvine, California. “Mag-stripe cards maintain customer information on a backend computer, with which the card must link in order to make a transaction. Smart Cards have an embedded microchip in which all data is stored and thus can facilitate transactions even when there is no link to a backend computer,” he noted. The initial use of Smart Card technology in US casinos will be in player tracking cards, Bushong said. While enabling customers to play slot machines and other games in a cashless environment, the smart player cards also will store information about the guest—including his favorite games and wagering patterns—which casinos can use to promote future visits. Such a card is currently being introduced in the US market by IGT Network Systems, Las Vegas. IGT, which brought TITO (Ticket-In/ Ticket-Out systems) to the gaming floor a decade ago with its EZ Pay System, recently expandedtheline to include theEZPaySmart Card, on which all cash values are stored on a microchip embedded in the card. According to Richard Rader, marketing manager for electronic funds products at Now That’s Smart! Already in use worldwide, Smart Cards are coming to North American casinos, reports James J. Hodl