As US casinos and sportsbooks gradually return to business in the receding wake of COVID-19, suppliers have been quick to produce equipment that will help safeguard staff and customers who still face the prospect of social distancing protocols.
Among the latest is Scientific Games which has unveiled a suite of contactless gaming solutions this week that will aid casino operators in their quest to keep their players and team members safe while maintaining a fun atmosphere.
Matt Wilson, Executive Vice President and Gaming Group Chief Executive, explained: “Scientific Games has always been committed to innovation, but it is now more critical than ever to develop solutions that help our partners address and adapt to the new normal. Our suite of contactless gaming solutions enables our partners to deliver a new, yet fun and engaging gaming experience for their players all while keeping them safe.”
The suite comprises three main components including a Unified Wallet cashless gaming experience, a Social Distancing Module and Automated Game Sanitization.
SG’s Unified Wallet powers a cashless gaming experience by helping players instantly access funds to play their favorite slots and tables through an app on their personal mobile device. Taking a mobile-first approach, cashless solutions are not only convenient for guests but are also cost effective for casino operators.
Unified Wallet also eliminates lines at ATMs to withdraw cash or at a kiosk or casino cage to redeem tickets as well as reduces costs on machine maintenance including bill validators, ticket printers and ticket redemption kiosks.
The Social Distancing Module provides three distinct features for operators: Dynamic Distancing, EGM Scheduler and Resort and Game Reserve. These features provide further opportunities for casino operators to adhere to the necessary safety measures now required by public health and gaming officials.
Keeping casino team members and guests in mind, the Automated Game Sanitization solution eliminates the manual task of searching for games that need to be sanitized on the casino floor by quickly identifying games that require cleaning after active play. Operators can also schedule sanitization at regular intervals for continued sanitization as well as anonymous play.
