One of the primary pinnacles of the coin-op industry has always been the item that gives the industry it’s name – the coin. However with recent developments in the food vending industry and the popularity of using credit cards to pay for purchases, it appears that the amusement side of the vending industry may soon be following suit. From The Stringer Report:
“The advances in the amusement sector with the application of e-payment have seen advances across the market. Most recently it was reported that the Netherlands could be about to see a change in Dutch gaming with legal changes to allow IC Cards deployed as a form of payment. This would see companies such as REAC, a supplier of management systems with 300 arcades in Netherlands – already implementing plans for a cashless payment system to be introduced if and when legal moves progress.”
“The hospitality industry is not keen on seeing players raiding their cash registers for coins to play amusement machines and to be honest would prefer if there was a combined means to have the payment for entertainment incorporated into the pay for the meal. With the use of swipe credit card payment would offer a profitable way for the operator and manufacturer to share in the revenue generated –the job of the industry is to pick a winning formula that works.”
[Credit: Kevin Williams from The Stringer Report, a leading e-Newsletter]
Also there is news that six companies are planning on using e-Port technology, all using the new Mastercard PayPass system. With vendors looking to use this system, the possibility of arcade games using the same technology looks to be a viable possibility in the near future. From PlayMeter Magazine:
“The six vending machine companies participating in the MasterCard and USA Technologies rollout are North County Vending, Five Star Food Service, A & B Vending, First Class Vending, Mid-Atlantic Vending, and PGI Services. These machines are part of the deployment of 5,000 PayPass- and cashless- enabled vending machines announced late last year. The USA Technologies wireless activated e-Port G6 allows vending machine customers to use either their traditional magnetic-stripe credit cards or new contactless cards such as MasterCard PayPass to make purchases. With PayPass, consumers simply wave their cards in front of the e-Port wireless reader, or tap the reader.”
I’m all for this type of payment. no more need for change machines that make put your note through a dozen times. no more mass of change in your pocket as u stroll round the arcade. also this has to be good for the operators as customers are more likely to spend more. would it be possible that the machine remembers ur credit card and your game progress so u cound continue where u left off? or is that a bit crazy?