The gradual shift over to cashless gaming in Dutch arcades is a continuing success story for the Rotterdam-based REAC, which already had management systems in most of the 250 Dutch arcades before the new cashless gaming regulations were introduced.
The company now has its first five installations completed with the latest being at Roermond in the Limberg area of the country. It is a Supergame operation.
The Dutch laws permit cashless by a debit card system or through ticket-in ticket-out, but while most of the industry is testing alternatives, TITO does not currently appear to be favoured.
REAC has been working closely with the Hess company of Stuttgart, Germany, a Gauselmann Group specialist in money processing machines for its debit card reconciliation facilities. Said Hess’s Erik de Kat: “Since the first REAC system went into a Dutch arcade we have worked closely with them to iron out the very minor initial teething problems and now it is working seamlessly in each new location.”
The entire cash desk function is now being taken over by the Hess Scorpion machines, saving labour costs and removing security problems. “The ability for players to convert money quickly and for the necessity to refill machines and handle hand pays to be removed is an important consideration,” said De Kat.
Currently, the Hommerson Group of 11 arcades is gradually changing over to the new system and one at Vlaardingen recently made the conversion.
REAC and Hess formed an agreement three years ago to work jointly on a cashless solution for the Netherlands and the partnership now seems destined to reap rich rewards for the two companies. Next up for the partnership is an arcade at Hoorn in the north of the country, owned by the Flamingo Group, which should come online early next year, as well as the Casino 1 at Apeldoorn owned by the Lassche Group.
