Dr Sally Gainsbury hosts a Kahlil Philander webinar addressing the topic of cashless and digital payments methods, and the use of this technology by the betting and gaming industry.

What is it?

The panel discussed the potential positive and negative consequences for customers of changing regulations on cashless payments in gambling venues.

Who is it?

Moderator:

Dr Sally Gainsbury, Director, Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, University of Sydney

Guest speakers:

Dr Luke Clark, Director, Centre for Gambling Research, University of British Columbia

Tom Swanton, Ph.D Candidate, University of Sydney

Kasra Ghaharian, Ph.D Student, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

What is being said?

“I think there’s certainly advantages and disadvantages to the customer,” Swanton remarked. 

“We’ve become used to cashless transactions in different facets of our lives, like retail and banking, so  that in gambling, people who gamble would maybe like to see that convenience and simplicity in their gambling. There’s also no risk of losing money when taking it out of an ATM, and it reduces the risk of theft and crime.

“I think there’s also customers who might not like it. In Nevada at least, when you do cashless wagering you have to set up an account, so each time you make a wager the gaming establishment would know who you are, how much you bet, etc. Some people may like the anonymity of cash and they might not like to be tracked the whole time.”

Building on Swanton’s statement, Dr Clark commented: “There is a flip side to the convenience if you ask gamblers what kind of strategies they use to stay in control. 

“A lot of those strategies come back to these forms of payment – for example, only taking in the amount of cash into a venue you are prepared to lose, leaving cards at home or locked in a glove box, or having one pocket for your gambling money and one pocket for your money for meals or a ride home.”

He added: “Some of these common strategies would be undermined if we were to make cash obsolete.”

Why should I watch it?

To hear opinions from experienced academics regarding the topic of cashless payments in gambling venues, and the impacts this could have on problem gambling and the spending behaviours of bettors.

Where can I see more?

Source: Kahlil Philander YouTube Channel