Smart Cards Spreading Across Gaming Industry

New technology is slowly rolling across the globe that will not only make cashless gaming systems more secure, but also add features that will improve the customer experience in casinos – provided casinos are willing to pay the extra cost.

The technology is the Smart Card which, already being used in casinos in Europe and elsewhere, and has begun to appear in North America, goes one better the mag-stripe card still used in many casinos worldwide.

“The main difference between the two cards is how they store information,” said Roger Bushong, sales account manager with CardLogix, Irvine, Calif.

“Mag-stripe cards maintain customer information on a backend computer, with which the card must link in order to make a transaction. Smart Cards have an embedded microchip in which all data is stored and thus can facilitate transactions even when there is no link to a backend computer,” he noted.

The initial use of Smart Card technology in U.S. casinos will be in player tracking cards, Bushong said. While enabling customers to play slot machines and other games in a cashless environment, the smart player cards also will store information about the guest – including his favorite games and wagering patterns – which casinos can use to promote future visits.

Such a card is currently being introduced in the U.S. market by IGT Network Systems, Las Vegas.

For the complete story, please see James Hodl, Now That’s Smart! IGWB, December 2, 2008.