A debate on the cashless gaming situation within the UK amusements and gaming sector took up much of the Q&A session at trade association Bacta's National Council meeting yesterday.
UK operator Ralph Taylor raised the subject at the meeting of the trade body, held yesterday, and John Bollom said that in the event that it was approved in the forthcoming white paper outcome then it would be up to the UK's Gambling Commission to negotiate with the industry.
A system of verification would be employed for players to use cashless in gaming machines to buy credits. Elements such as a break in play and other player protection measures would probably be employed.
“We are talking debit cards here, not credit cards,” Bollom emphasised. “If nothing happens on this cashless business now then in five years’ time Category C income will be negligible.”
Merkur UK's Tony Boulton said that in the event that new regulations legalised cashless gambling, then Bacta would form a Cashless Gambling Group to lead discussions with the authorities and with specialist money handling companies in order to ensure commonality within the industry.
“It will take time and cashless may take several years to be gradually phased in,” he said.
