Digital banking and payments firm i2c is partnering with next-generation commerce firm Sightline Payments to deliver cashless, mobile and omnichannel programs to over 45 gaming resorts, state lotteries, digital gaming and sports betting sites across eight states, i2c announced on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Founded in 2010, Sightline has experienced 744 percent revenue growth since 2015. Its client roster includes MGM Resorts, Caesars Resorts, and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino; the Oregon and Pennsylvania state lotteries; Churchill Downs; Golden Nugget online; and DraftKings, FanDuel, William Hill, and Rush Street sports, among others. It is moving into Canada with its programming later this year.
The Sightline platform integrates with the i2c agile processing vehicle and APIs to deliver Play+, a cashless solution that gives gaming operators the ability to move money in real-time between tables, slots, and kiosks. A value card gives VIP guests immediate access to winnings. The card is reloadable and can be used on any service (gaming, hospitality, entertainment and ATMs) at the resort, in brick and mortar retail worldwide, and online.
Sightline also integrated Smart Money, a program that works with guests’ iOS and Android mobile devices at retailers. The Sightline payment gateway allows others in the industry to incorporate their channels into the cashless network.
“Sightline’s mission has been to remove cash from the resort ecosystem entirely,” said Kirk Sanford, founder, and CEO of Sightline. “Thanks to i2c during the past seven-plus years we’ve been partners, we’ve handled over $2 billion in gaming and non-gaming processing seamlessly and without incident. i2c is the only company that has a platform that provides the customization, performance, marketing, and support necessary for all our programs, and includes the flexibility to run campaigns with innovative trigger-based rewards programs that build customer loyalty.”
Sightline maintains that by going cashless, operators can better serve customers while also tapping data for behavior insights. Going cashless also aids cost-cutting by way of more efficient operations. Consumers going cashless also reap benefits from better security, convenience and flexibility in how they spend and play.
“Delivering stronger business performance for our clients and great customer experiences for their customers is the motivation behind everything we do,” said Amir Wain, founder and CEO of i2c Inc. “Working in close cooperation with Sightline, we’ve customized their programs for each gaming resort and sports operator and provided unique insights about their VIP customers. We look forward to continuing to improve the digital commerce experience with innovative new Sightline programs we’ll bring to new regions of the world.”
There are more than 2.5 billion gamers worldwide, and consumers are demanding more content, options and perks in their online subscriptions. This group was anticipated to spend $152.1 billion on games by the end of 2019.