Cashless gaming commences at Victorian venues

Recent changes now enable Victorian hotels and clubs to provide cashless gaming to their customers.

On 30 January 2019, the Gambling Amendment (Cashless Gaming) Regulations 2019 introduced new regulations allowing non-cash gaming tokens to be made available at pokies venues. On the same day, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation published technical standards for the operation of cashless gaming on pokies at Victorian clubs and hotels.

The technical standards, Ticket-In Ticket-Out (TITO) and Card Based Cashless (CBC) Gaming in Gaming Venues, allow for machines to accept both player tickets and gaming cards.

The Ticket-In (TI) functionality is equivalent to a player inserting cash. The Ticket-Out (TO) functionality is equivalent to a player pressing the "collect" button and collecting credits from the machine. TITO tickets can be redeemed for cash at a Credit Redemption Terminal (CRT) or through the attendant at the cashier’s desk or by inserting the TITO ticket back into the machine as credits.

TITO Tickets cannot be used at more than one venue and the maximum amount that can be stored on a ticket is $1000.

A person may choose to use a CBC card when using pokies at a club or hotel. In order to do so, the person must set up an account or 'cashless wallet' at the venue. CBC gaming cards must be the same cards used for state-wide pre-commitment (YourPlay) and loyalty schemes associated with gaming. Cards may be casual/anonymous or registered to a player and must be linked to an account or cashless wallet with a unique identifier/account number.

When a CBC card is inserted in a gaming machine, the person is given a choice to transfer none, all or some of the funds in the cashless wallet to the machine. When a person chooses to cease gaming on the machine by pressing the 'collect' button or removing their CBC card, the machine must immediately transfer all credits on the machine to the cashless wallet. This avoids a person leaving credits on the machine.

Cashless accounts can be used only at the venue that issued the card and cashless wallet, although the card may be used for pre-commitment in other venues. The maximum balance that can be stored on a card is $1000.