Joseph Dixon
Passport Technology’s Jackpot Unity slashes the time for jackpot payouts, a plus for players eager to get their winnings and operators wanting to increase efficiency.
“With our applications, a payout takes five minutes or less,” said Catalina Escalante Marin, Passport’s director of automation. Some operators saw payout times of up to 40 minutes before switching to Jackpot Unity, she added.
The application also allows players to choose how to be paid – with cash, TITO, check, or any combination. Handheld devices enable slot attendants to complete W-2G tax forms, player identification, and other paperwork on the floor, while kiosks provide payments. The kiosks, which include a printer and high-capacity cash vault, double as slot attendant workstations, automating cash access and reducing manual data entry. Jackpot Unity integrates with an operator’s Casino Management System and automatically provides paperless documentation needed for Title 31/AML compliance. Players can receive electronic or printed records of their tax forms.
“You have everything in our application,” Marin said. Jackpot Unity, released in 2023, is currently available only in the United States.
Kiosk Design And Functionality
The Jackpot Unity kiosk, which is 16.5 inches wide, takes up minimal space on the slot floor. Marin said the number of kiosks varies by casino, with smaller ones installing two or three while larger ones are using 15 to 18.
As director of automation, Marin leads the teams that developed Jackpot Unity as well as LiveCage and BankBuilder Pro, two other Passport products designed to improve the speed and accuracy of cash transactions for casino players and employees. The development teams are based in the United States, Canada, and Colombia.
Marin explained that LiveCage automates cashier-to-guest transactions at the cage, thereby reducing waiting times for customers. It features a cash and coin dispenser that serves two cashier positions. The dispenser practically eliminates errors and provides real-time reporting of all cash transactions. Marin said it cuts downtime by more than half when one cashier relieves another for a break or shift change because the new cashier needs only to log in instead of replacing a cash drawer. Marin said Passport has installed more than 700 LiveCage workstations working 24/7.
BankBuilder Pro For Efficient Cash Management
While LiveCage is used only to dispense money, Marin said BankBuilder Pro handles deposits and withdrawals for authorized staff, such as a restaurant manager who needs to access money for the cash registers there. At the end of the shift or the day, a manager deposits all the cash from the restaurant back into the BankBuilder cash recycler, using a high-capacity “transit cassette” to minimize exposing any cash on the floor.
BankBuilder Pro calculates and reports the revenue, providing a real-time auditing trail. The self-service process is designed to improve efficiency around the starting and ending of shifts, opening and closing tills, and making deposits or making change. BankBuilder Pro’s central portal gives real-time access to all data, and LiveCage and BankBuilder Pro can be integrated for centralized cash management and reporting. Marin said neither LiveCage nor BankBuilder Pro needs to be connected with a CMS.
Operators typically install at least two BankBuilder Pro cash recyclers, with some opting for more, Marin said. Authorized employees can use whichever recycler is most convenient for them.
Commitment To Innovation And Customer Satisfaction
Marin cited the Passport team’s experience in the gaming industry and emphasis on customer service. “We work with our customers to identify where they might have problems and how we can give them a better solution,” she said. “That’s why, for example, they love LiveCage. We are always looking for solutions to maximize the customer experience, maximize the customer service, and minimize employees’ challenges or pain points.”
