IDs have been a huge part of our lives for generation after generation, and our dependence on them is one aspect of life relatively unchanged by the digital age and the rise of ubiquitous smart technology. Almost half of all Americans own a valid and current passport, to go with the 218 million who have driver’s licenses. And we still need them, and still use them.

One way that smart technology is impacting personal identification is in the capacity of businesses to access and confirm the information that those IDs represent. Devices like tablets, smartphones, and the apps and accessories that work with them are making mobile business available to almost anyone. But bigger businesses are taking advantage as well. Handheld ID scanners are being used everywhere from nightclubs and bars to sporting events and concerts. The benefits of handheld ID card scanners and contactless readers are only beginning to be fully explored. One place that smart card readers can be a great benefit to businesses and customers by expediting routine checks, registrations, and transactions is a casino. The following five ways that handheld ID scanners are being used in casinos.

Entrances

As with bars and other establishments providing goods and services that are restricted by age, it is legally vital that casinos are able to confirm the age and identity of each visitor and patron. In the past, this has meant extended lines at points of entry and registration counters, fielding extra staff to expedite entry, and tedious connections while verifying impatient patrons on overburdened systems. With handheld ID scanners, however, identity and age verification can happen remotely at any entrance, via a number of networks, by mobile and multitasking staff, and in a rapid, convenient manner that gets business in quickly and easily. During busier times, using ID card barcode readers allows casinos the flexibility to fluidly add staff to overworked entrances. Additionally, handheld ID scanners work so seamlessly that they permit door staff to reference incoming patrons against lists of barred individuals, protecting the business, other patrons, and even potentially the barred individual. Greater, more convenient, and faster security and compliance help every aspect of a casino’s business.

Vendors and Deliveries

Businesses do business with businesses. And this business requires tracking that is as rigorous as that used to track customers. For a business on the scale of a casino, inventory management is of significant importance, and the sheer bulk of it can make the process time-consuming. With ID readers, it’s easier to identify and track who – and what – is on the premises and for what reason. Handheld ID scanners make it easier to manage vendors and other associated merchants at nearly any point, from the back of the house to the front. Rapid check-ins and expedited inventory management keep casinos secure and running smoothly.

Customer Retention

Most businesses today use loyalty programs, social media, sales, and discounts, or other means to retain customers. Handheld ID scanners make this process a great deal easier by permitting enrollment and tracking at nearly any point of contact throughout the casino. Customers can be checked in and offered a rewards point balance, apprised of special offers, or registered for loyalty programs within seconds at the door, the bar, tableside, and even on gaming floors by designated program specialists. The ability to return to the casino as a registered patron with rewards, perks, and expedited entry can be very appealing to both new and returning customers.

Payout Tracking

A casino wishes to pay out fair and complete winnings to lucky and loyal patrons, and it’s important that these payouts are accurate and rigorously tracked. Handheld ID scanners keep this process easy and precise by managing the progress of registered patrons from nearly anywhere in the casino. Machine activity, table activity, visits, dining, and payouts can all be integrated with databases that are accessible via handheld ID scanners from anywhere in the casino, keeping payouts accurate and quick.

Handheld ID scanners are being used in a broad range of industries, and their benefits are clear and copious. There are few establishments with more to gain and in more ways, however, than casinos.