The Nevada Gaming Commission has given the go-ahead to operators to now allow players at casino floors to also use their wagering accounts in other parts of the casino and gambling establishments, including retail stores, restaurants, and other options that offer non-gambling services, but are affiliated to the larger casino brand in some way.
Untying Sports Betting Funds for Non-Gambling Expenses
The new changes will ease the way players manage their money and grant them the right to move their funds into non-gambling products which could be seen as largely beneficial to patrons and businesses.
The original proposal was to also allow patrons to use their wagering accounts off the property and even out of state, but this fell short, as the regulator is keen to ensure that the money stays in Nevada one way or another.
However, the idea is not completely scrapped as Senior Deputy Attorney General John Michela has mentioned that businesses may be happy to allow out-of-state spending anyway, but it will probably come with certain strings attached, such as where beyond Nevada the money can be spent.
Commissioner Brian Krolicki has welcomed the changes to the payment options for patrons in the Silver State, arguing that the regulator was keen to innovate and help the industry, making it more competitive against other gaming jurisdictions.
Krolicki openly said that companies such as Sightline Payments, have pushed for changes to the way wagering accounts are used and moving forward with even more ambitious plans in the first place.
Gaming Control Board’s Technology Division chief, Jim Barbee, said that technology suppliers are always adapting to these changes, and there is at least one vendor that can adapt a solution, allowing people who gamble at casinos and, say, play slots, to also make other purchases as a tenant of the casino.
Sightline chief legal officer Jennifer Carleton has similarly spoken about the significance of the regulatory change, arguing that the proposal actually solved real problems that people face when they gamble.
Customers Don’t Want to Withdraw, Pay Fees, and Then Spend
Carleton explained that when people won money, they needed to withdraw it from the accounts to use anywhere, but that often came with associated fees and further friction for the casino patron.
“Again, fees are involved typically borne by the operator. So, the operator has an interest in allowing the customer to use those funds in real time versus having to move their money out of the wagering account to have access to things other than wagering. This churn can add up to millions of dollars a year for operators,” Carleton explained.
Ultimately, the Nevada Gaming Commission is aware that gamblers themselves do not want to have to go to an ATM or the cage in order to use their money on another part of the casino experience – whether it has to do with gambling or non-gambling.