Cashless gaming system now available at Las Vegas casinos

The STRAT rolled out on Tuesday a new way to pay with ACS PlayOn machines.

"When ACS approached us with this idea and showed the ease of use and how safe and secure it was, it seemed like a no brainer for us," said Brian Stanton, with the Strat.

As reported in an article published by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Strat joins the D Las Vegas and various Station Casino properties — including the Palms — in offering this cashless system. ACS PlayOn said in a statement that the service is set to expand to the D’s sister property, Golden Gate, in coming months.

“We are testing this system because we see this as a great convenience for our players,” said Jay Fennel, vice president of gaming development and technology for Golden Entertainment, which owns the Strat. The service is meant to “enhance the guest experience as a convenient way of accessing their funds without having to leave the comfort of their table

“The obvious benefit is that it is efficient,” Fennel said. “Sometimes the time you spend finding an ATM and coming back to the table disrupts your flow. Plus, you don’t have to risk losing your spot.”

On Monday, the D announced it would be the first downtown casino to implement this system. A representative for the D and Golden Gate casinos declined to comment.

While the device can be used on slot machines, the two downtown casinos and the Strat are using it solely on table games. Fennel said the Strat plans to evaluate the system over the next several months at select tables before deciding whether or not to expand its use.

The device charges a flat $4, plus a 2.5 percent transaction fee per day, Fennel said. The Strat has a minimum withdrawal of $50.

Casey Clark, senior vice president of strategic communications for the American Gaming Association, said this technology helps the gaming industry catch up to technology already available in other industries.

“Modernizing payment (is) something AGA is focused on this year,” Clark said. “Our focus has been on customer choice and introducing more opportunities in terms of how they pay for that experience.”