OKTO.WALLET meets pubgoers demands for secure, cashless, mobile payments across the UK

Regal, a subsidiary of the Merkur Group UK and a leading UK supplier of amusement equipment to the leisure sector, will accept cashless payments directly onto its gaming machines via OKTO.WALLET.

Users of the OKTO.WALLET mobile app are able to deposit and withdraw funds safely, securely and seamlessly directly onto any collaborating gaming machines in the UK leisure sector. The OKTO.WALLET is a fully licensed payment service, reducing payment friction, enhancing customer experience, and focusing on responsible gambling and player protection.

The joint offering is ready to give Britain’s Pubs sector a much needed post-lockdown boost, by introducing a fully cashless experience tailored to the gaming industry and its players’ demands, increasing customer engagement and footfall. Pubgoers can embark on this digital journey by downloading for free the OKTO app from the App Store and Google Play and creating an account in just a few minutes. The OKTO app enables users to move their funds instantly across the entire payment ecosystem; from the gaming machine, the pub’s ordering app, the bartop cashier, all the way out to any retail or online business accepting OKTO Prepaid Mastercard®, linked to the OKTO wallet account.

OKTO’s mobile-first solution has easily integrated into Regal’s gaming machines without the need for any additional hardware or upfront costs, securing a level playing field in the retail gaming sector with the rest of the UK high street economy.

OKTO, in line with all major levels of responsible gaming and the latest callings of the UKGC, puts control directly in the hands of the user with powerful age verification, gaming limits and time-out periods tools, as well as with problem gambling helplines available within the app.

OKTO.WALLET is available at selected pubs with further locations being added in the coming weeks and months. Given strong customer demand and amidst the COVID-19 situation, OKTO continues to expand its UK wallet through its partnership with Regal. Pubgoers using Regal’s gaming machines are able to take advantage of a secure, universal and cashless payment method as it rolls out across the Regal network.

Simon Dorsen, Director of Gaming at OKTO, said: “Britain is moving beyond ‘peak cash’ this year, as the country has well and truly embraced a cashless society due to its convenience and ease. The Pub and Gaming sectors are able to address the users’ need with a flexible and cashless solution, thanks to our collaboration with Regal.

We designed a turn-key solution for the market that enables consumers to use a complete, digital, cashless solution, not only directly on gaming machines but also across the entire payment ecosystem. Providing them with a single payment app, users have the freedom to use their OKTO.WALLET anywhere, whether it’s pubs, AGC, Casinos or high street shops.”

Matt Bicknell, Managing Director Operations and Product at Regal, added: “Through our collaboration with OKTO, we found both a digital, instant and cashless solution to meet our customers demand and the flexible, market-proven technology that enabled us to easily adopt it in our gaming machines. The launch is the result of extensive research and co-development between our companies, and we are working actively on rolling it out to our client base in the UK.”