Resorts World revamps cashless wagering tech to include remote sign-up

After a hindered rollout in 2021 that prompted regulatory changes, Resorts World and digital payments provider Sightline Payments relaunched its cashless technology solution Wednesday and it includes more functionality and seamless technology.

Players at the Strip hotel-casino will now be able to confirm their identity remotely, enroll in loyalty programs and payments and use biometric authentication such as face ID and fingerprint technology. It also incorporates the features into one digital wallet through the Resorts World Las Vegas Mobile+ app, according to a news release.

The revamped cashless option follows a rollout last year that faced several hiccups. When the casino opened its doors in June 2021, it introduced touchless payment options but executives with Sightline told the Nevada Gaming Commission that customers waited in line for hours to complete the setup process. That’s because a regulation required users to set up their account in person so staff could verify their identity.

Sightline successfully petitioned the NGC for a rule change this year.

Rick Hutchins, senior vice president of casino operations at Resorts World, said the resort expected mobile payments to be an “iterative process” as the operator continued to make enhancements to the service.

“Today, we’ve dramatically lessened the time and hassle for those who want to take advantage of cashless gaming and enroll in Genting Rewards when they visit our resort,” Hutchins said in a statement. “I’m thrilled we’re at the forefront of simplifying the process for our guests by giving them more time to focus on what they came here to do: enjoy themselves.”

Resorts World’s second generation of cashless tech creates an omnichannel cashless wallet — making it the first casino in the state to offer such a program, the company said. Before, a player would go through a two-step process to transfer funds from their Play+ account — a Sightline app that connected the gaming technology with other funding sources — to their wagering account before transferring those funds to a slot machine or table game. And if a player wanted to use their funds at the resort they would have to transfer their money back into their Play+ account.

The new technology now simplifies the process and allows guests to use one wallet to play or spend their funds, according to the news release.

“We applaud Resorts World Las Vegas for being so forward thinking, for working so diligently to create the best possible user experience, and for driving the whole industry forward,” Omer Sattar, Co-CEO of Sightline, said in a statement. “Groundbreaking technology builds on itself and this 2nd generation makes cashless gaming more accessible and a better overall experience for patrons.”

McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on Twitter.