Is cashless gaming a boon for casinos? Could it result in more problem gambling? 

There is no clear answer to either question, but those in the responsible gaming community are still concerned as the technology expands.

Those concerns were heightened after a new cashless wagering component allowing slot machine players to connect the game with their mobile bank accounts debuted at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas last month.

Noah Acres, chief operating officer of Las Vegas-based Acres Manufacturing, which unveiled its Universal Payment Adapter at G2E, said the program has built-in safeguards, including limits covering financial amounts and the number of times a player can use the program.

However, he also noted that a study found that cashless players will purchase 92 percent more gaming credits per session than cash-funded players, and were more likely to repurchase credits — comments unfavorably highlighted on X by longtime gambling industry writer John Mehaffey, who called the technology a “responsible gambling disaster.”

Connie Jones, director of responsible gaming for the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, said gaming equipment developers rely on regulators and casino operators to determine what level of player protections, including responsible gaming tools, are required.

“Sadly, it’s often more about the optics than protecting players,” Jones said. “I’ve been asked numerous times why manufacturers aren’t making the games safer. Unfortunately, the characteristics that make a game fun and exciting are also those that allegedly cause addiction.”

Alan Feldman, a responsible gaming expert for UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, said research could show people have more control in their gambling habits when using responsible gaming systems.

“It may show no meaningful change,” Feldman said. “Of course, it could show that there is a measurable negative impact on players utilizing these newer financial transaction models.”

Cashless gaming systems, which are used in more than two dozen casinos nationwide, rely on a QR code that allows customers to connect the game with their mobile bank account.

Acres said some gaming jurisdictions require safeguards to be in place, with the operator having the option of implementing them. Certain payment methods, including credit cards, may be disallowed.

The system, which was approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s testing laboratory in August, is expected to be available in several Las Vegas casinos by January. 

Jeremy Eberwein, deputy chief for the test lab, said the agency could not comment specifically on the approval process, but the Acres system fell under a Nevada gaming regulation covering wagering accounts or a control board technical standard for systems that facilitate direct transfers from a debit card to a game.

“It is possible that in some cases multiple systems may be involved in these transactions, so at least one of those systems would be required to implement this limit,” Eberwein wrote in an email.

Acres said payment processors have invested in technology that detects and declines transactions that could result in a dispute, such as fraud, overspending and problem gaming.

“The responsible gaming community understandably has questions and concerns about cashless wagering,” Acres said, adding that regulations and requirements differ by jurisdiction and country.

“Australian regulators are mandating that operators implement cashless as a way of combating problem gaming,” Acres said. “Electronic payments are much more easily tracked and controlled than cash transactions.”

Feldman, who began focusing on changes and trends in responsible gaming issues more than a decade ago when he oversaw corporate communications for MGM Resorts International, said cashless gaming “isn’t a bad thing.” 

During his time with MGM, he spearheaded the launch of a responsible gaming program at the company’s properties that encourages players to adopt behaviors and attitudes that can reduce the risk of developing gambling disorders. Ultimately, he said, it’s up to the user to implement the programs, such as setting a wagering budget that no longer allows additional deposits once that threshold is reached. 

“The question is whether or not the programs are ever turned on by both the casinos and the players,” Feldman said. “There needs to be thoughtful planning on how this takes place.”

Jones said Canadian casinos that utilize Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) — games that resemble traditional slot machines but with jackpots controlled by a central server — have been outfitted with responsible gaming tools for more than two decades.

However, players had an option to opt out of using the programs. One study found that just 2 percent of the players did that.

“The (provincial) governments made it mandatory for players to use when playing on the VLTs,” Jones said. “When revenues plummeted, the mandatory requirement was dropped, but the jurisdictions still promote responsible gaming.”

Jones said legal online casinos, which are found in just seven states — Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia — have an easier time implementing responsible gaming tools “because it’s less expensive to include the technology in an online setting.”