Nevada Gaming Commission to Allow Cashless Gaming Mobile Verification

This week, the Nevada Gaming Commission agreed to allow players to sign up for a cashless gaming account remotely, cutting down on long wait times inside casinos.
For quite some time, cashless payments have been utilized in a few Nevada casinos as a way to allow patrons to avoid having to pay with cash to play games, dine, or enjoy other entertainment. However, for a player to use such technology, they had to sign up on site. This took forever, as lines could stretch far and wide, taking two hours or more for players to sign up. This week, the Nevada Gaming Commission thankfully changed regulations, allowing patrons to sign up for a cashless payment account online and verify their identity. This removes the wait time and allows patrons to use the technology as soon as they set foot on site.
Sightline Payments Excited About the Change
Sightline Payments is a company that currently offers cashless payment options in Nevada at Aliante Casino and Resorts World Las Vegas. With the tech provided, patrons can play table games or slot machines with their mobile instead of having to use cash.
Co-CEO of the company, Omer Satter, is happy to see the decision made by the Commission. He says the company has been waiting for this moment for 17 years and feel that this is the cusp of the adoption of the cashless payment technology.
The company has been pushing for regulation changes since last year. They submitted an amended petition to the rules after launching its services at both casinos. Casinos were approved to use the technology in June 2020 amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when players and employees wanted to avoid cash as much as possible due to the high transmission rate of the virus.
While patrons were utilizing the method, it was not easy. Instead of begin able to log in and use the tech instantly, players had to sign up and verify on-site with a casino employee. This takes time and as busy as the casinos are, some patrons would wait for hours just to set up their accounts.
No More Wait Times
In the past, a user would be able to download the app before arriving at the casino. But, before any funds could be added and games play, identification had to be shown to an employee. This would complete the registration process.
With the regulation change, users are now able to verify their identity by uploading a document via the app. This could be an image of their drivers license to prove who they are. Additional information is then provided such as historical questions regarding their background, like where they lived before or went to high school.
While the process has been streamlined, players may still be asked to provide their identification at the casino. Players need to be willing to do so if requested by casino staff as they are only operating via the state’s gaming regulations.
The approval by the Commission only applies to casino betting accounts. Players that have a mobile sportsbook account will need to visit the actual sportsbook and be confirmed before using the online account.
While the vote was positive, some Commission members brought up negative points. Ogonna Brown felt that the safeguards and protections of the in-person verification were better than the online option. Commissioner Ben Kieckhefer stated that most people come to Las Vegas for a vacation and do not want the inconvenience of spending more time in line than gaming.
Some even felt that the long lines might be an issue with how the casino is handling account setups rather than an actual problem that merited online registration. Despite the negative, the Commission agreed to the changes and players can now sign up online, avoiding the long lines at venues that offer Sightline Payments.