‘Tapping in’: Station Casinos offering cashless gaming app

Players at Station Casinos are now able to load money into a machine digitally through a cashless payment app by gaming manufacturer IGT, the companies announced Tuesday.

IGT’s cashless gaming modules Resort Wallet and IGTPay can be used at Station’s six flagship Las Vegas casinos through the STN Cash app, available on Apple’s App and Google Play stores, according to a news release.

The two systems set up a PIN-protected cashless wagering account and a mobile payment gateway that connects to a player’s loyalty program account, or Boarding Pass. Members can transfer funds into the account from a debit card, credit card, bank account and digital wallet. Those funds can be loaded into a slot machine as credits during play by “tapping in” through the smart phone.

Winnings or money remaining are returned to the account at the end of a player’s session, said officials with the London-based manufacturer of slots and casino management systems. The funds can then be cashed out or remain in the STN Cash account until the next play session.

Cashless payment solutions are becoming increasingly common in other industries and are at the forefront of innovation for gaming. At next week’s Global Gaming Expo at The Venetian Expo, for instance, several educational sessions will center on the topic with companies like IGT and others showcasing their cashless gaming solutions.

“It’s exciting to see Station Casinos at the forefront of the on-premise cashless gaming revolution by powering its impressive STN Cash app with the Resort Wallet and IGTPay modules of the IGT ADVANTAGE casino management system,” Nick Khin, IGT’s chief operating officer of global gaming, said in a statement.

The partnership between IGT and Station Casinos is a multiyear enterprise-wide agreement, according to the release. The STN Cash app is expected to be operational at Barley’s and Wildfire casinos.

“Our IGT-powered STN Cash app is deployed across our entire Nevada enterprise and has introduced efficiencies and player conveniences that support Station Casinos’ growth and profitability targets,” Tom Mikulich, Station Casinos’ senior vice president of innovation, said in the release.

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.