Industry News

New Zealand has been a shining example of how to handle the COVID-19 global pandemic. With a population just shy of 5 million residents, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took quick action to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on her country – to great success. It has been widely acknowledged that the Prime Minister’s actions, including a swift and tough lockdown and plentiful testing, saved many lives.  “We must go hard and we must go early,” was Prime Minister Ardern’s message to New Zealand citizens. And it worked. According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus-tracking world map, New Zealand had only 1,519 confirmed cases and 22 deaths. An Unexpected Surprise Now, New Zealand is slowly easing lockdown restrictions in-country. And this new freedom has resulted in a surprising situation – a dramatic increase in the number of cash withdrawals from ATMs. According to the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA), “Consumers have rushed back to cash as soon as social distancing restrictions eased in New Zealand and venues began opening again. One month’s worth of withdrawals occurred in just three days last week, reported New Zealand’s leading independent ATM network, Next Payments. “More than 30,000 withdrawal transactions were made in the three days after venues were (partially) reopened in New Zealand. In excess of 60,000 withdrawals have been made already in May, more than double to the total for April 2020.” As a result, many of New Zealand’s ATMs ran out of cash. Lessons Learned What does this mean for U.S. Independent ATM Deployers (IADs)? Primarily, it means that as our country slowly begins to open up, IADs need to make sure that their ATMs are vaulted regularly so that they don’t run out of cash. Cash Safety Additionally, with many Americans still highly safety conscious, it is a good idea to protect your ATM customers from possible exposure to COVID-19. Thankfully, the Consumer Choice in Payments Coalition (CCPC) recently emphasized scientifically-based research that, “cloth/linen-based U.S. currency is actually more germ proof and less of a transmission risk than non-porous plastic charge cards and mobile phones.” Recently, according to revised guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the virus primarily spreads from person-to-person. Nevertheless, the CDC does state, “It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about how this virus spreads.” With a well-supplied and clean ATM, IADs are better able to welcome the public back to their machines. 

We’re Gonna Party Like it’s 1999 Nightlife is part of the fabric of our country. Americans like to drink, they like to dance, they like to hang out with friends and meet new people. Nightclubs are a big portion of nightlife in America. In 2017, there were over 62,000 establishments in the nightclub, bar, and tavern industry in the U.S.[i] Those drinking establishments generate a lot of revenue. In 2017, drinking place sales in the U.S. totaled $28.46 billion, which is up significantly from 25 years prior when sales totaled $12.28 billion.[ii] By and large, those revenue totals were generated from the sales of beer, wine, and distilled spirits – to the tune of almost 80%. However, nightclubs also brought in sales by way of meals, non-alcoholic drinks, venue rentals, and gaming.[iii] Don’t Forget the Tip It is interesting to note that sales of alcohol in nightclubs pretty equally spans age groups. In 2018, 36.41% of 18 – 29-year-olds purchased liquor at a nightclub or bar within the previous 3 months. Additionally, 37.76% of 30 – 49-year-olds and 31.64% of 50 – 64-year-olds purchased liquor at a nightclub or bar within the last 3 months.[iv] Wine sales followed much the same pattern except for the oldest generation nightclub patrons. In 2018, 25.63% of 18 – 29-year-olds, 29.6% of 30 – 49-year-olds, and 12.7% of 50 – 64-year-olds purchased wine at a nightclub or bar within the previous 3 months.[v] Remaining Competitive With so many nightclubs competing for customers and with so much revenue at stake, how are nightclub owners able to successfully vie for their share? According to an article from Nightclub & Bar, the nightclub trends to watch for in 2020 fit into 5 categories: Operations, Marketing, People, Food & Beverage, and Guest Experience. Open, more upbeat environments, revived marketing messages, and trendy cocktails “that are simple, well balanced, and tasty, using three to five ingredients instead of seven to ten,” are all trends to watch in 2020, according to Nightclub & Bar. Creating a Positive Guest Experience Guest experience is also big. Nightclub owners have learned that providing in-house amenities can not only provide convenience for their patrons, but increase revenue while doing so. Nightclubs are working to increase customer convenience in order to keep customers on-premises and spending money. Three of the main ways that nightclubs are providing a better customer experience is by providing touchscreen entertainment options, such as a digital jukebox, an in-house ATM for easy cash withdrawals, and vending machines. The Importance of Music Digital jukeboxes earn revenue each time a customer pays money to play music that they want to hear. However, the real value in having a digital jukebox is that by playing music that is pleasing to customers, they will stay on-site longer and therefore likely spend more money on drinks. Increasing Spending with Readily Available Cash Likewise, placing a nightclub ATM in-house provides customers with easy access to money. Money that they are more likely to spend on premises. A 2018 report on the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice (DCPC) found that “Cash continues to be the most frequently used payment instrument, representing 30 percent of all transactions and 55 percent of transactions under $10.” And that “Survey respondents between 18 to 25 years of age and those 45 years and older use cash approximately 34 percent of the time to pay for transactions.” Which means that having cash readily available for customers can help increase spending. Vending Machine Value Vending machines can also offer nightclub customers convenience to help keep them on-site and spending money. And since vending machines can be used without the help of nightclub staff, they also allow bartenders to keep doing their priority job: making drinks. By creating an inviting atmosphere, increasing creative marketing messaging, and providing conveniences to their customers, nightclubs can help to ensure their long-term viability in an increasingly crowded market. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”1″ _address=”0.0.0.1″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”2″ _address=”0.0.0.2″] [i] IBISWorld. (January 31, 2012). Number of establishments in the bars, taverns and nightclubs industry in the United States from 2003 to 2017* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 18, 2019 [ii] US Census Bureau. (May 15, 2018). Drinking place sales in the United States from 1992 to 2017 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 18, 2019 [iii] IBISWorld. (January 31, 2012). Breakdown of U.S. bars, taverns & nightclubs industry sales in 2012, by product/service* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 18, 2019 [iv] Statista. (October 31, 2018). Share of Americans who bought liquor at a bar or nightclub in the last 3 months in 2018, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 19, 2019 [v] Statista. (October 31, 2018). Share of Americans who bought wine at a nightclub or bar in the last 3 months in 2018, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 19, 2019

By the Numbers As of 2017 there were over 116,000 shopping malls in the United States.[i] Retail shopping in America is a booming industry. During the second quarter of 2019, U.S. retail sales amounted to over $1.3 billion dollars. And while some people speculate that shopping malls will soon be in trouble due to increasing online shopping, the numbers don’t paint such a dim picture. In 2018, 76 million households had members who shopped in a mall. That number is expected to rise to 77 million by 2020.[ii] The reasons why people prefer to shop in a mall versus online varies. An eMarketer survey found that 60% of mall shoppers like to shop for apparel in a mall. 39% consider it value one-stop shopping. 24% enjoy an outing with friends and family. 20% find it convenient for buying quick gifts, and 19% like to make a full day of it including dining and entertainment.[iii] Millennials Take the Lead Millennials appear to be the generation that frequents shopping malls the most, followed closely by Generation Xers. In 2016, 74% of 18 – 34-year-olds visited a shopping mall in the past thirty days.[iv] And 83% of 18 – 34-year-olds had visited a shopping mall within the past three months.[v] Additionally, 71% of 35 – 44-year-olds and 56% of 45 – 54-year-olds visited a mall in the past 30 days and 84% of 35 – 44-year-olds and 71% of 45 – 54-year-olds visited a mall in the past three months. And people spend a considerable amount of time in malls. On average, people spent between 106 and 158 minutes in a shopping mall within a three-month period in 2016.[vi] How to Keep ‘em Coming So, if visitors are spending a good amount of time in a mall each quarter, retailers and mall owners need to consider how to keep visitors on premises and, more importantly, spending money. According to GlobalData, malls that increase their non-retail offerings, such as restaurants, entertainment, and pop-up shops increase spending in their mall up to three times as much as malls without strong non-retail offerings. Cash Matters One additional way that mall owners can increase spending is to give visitors easy access to cash. By installing a fleet of shopping mall ATMs, mall owners put money in the hands of customers who are then more likely to spend that cash on-site. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), “Cash continues to be the most frequently used payment instrument, representing 30 percent of all transactions and 55 percent of transactions under $10.” Additionally, the FRBSF also found that “7 percent of payments were made in-person. For these in-person payments, cash accounted for 39 percent of the volume.” Whether by incorporating an on-site movie theatre, quality restaurant options, or in-house ATMs, shopping mall owners can be assured that if they build it, people will come. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”1″ _address=”0.0.0.1″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”2″ _address=”0.0.0.2″] [i] A.T. Kearney. (February 8, 2018). Number of shopping malls in the United States from 1970 to 2017 (in thousands) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 11, 2019 [ii] Households with people who shopped at any mall in the U.S. 2018 to 2020 [Graph]. (July 26, 2018). In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2019 [iii] eMarketer. (June 21, 2018). Mall shoppers’ reasons for shopping at malls instead of online in the United States as of 2018 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2019 [iv] ICSC. (May 19, 2016). Share of consumers who visited shopping malls in the past thirty days in the United States in 2016, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2019 [v] ICSC. (May 19, 2016). Share of consumers who visited shopping malls in a three-month period in the United States in 2016, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2019 [vi] ICSC. (June 30, 2016). Average time spent at regional and super-regional malls by consumers in the United States from April to June in 2016, by age (in minutes) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2019

The State of Marijuana Currently, marijuana is legal for recreational use in eleven states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, thirty-three states, plus the District of Columbia, have legalized medical marijuana. With over half of the United States having some form of legalized marijuana, one might expect that there would be some universal form of banking for marijuana dispensaries. However, that is not the case.   Bud is Big Business Since marijuana is still illegal on a federal level, marijuana dispensaries face large issues with payment systems and banking needs. This happens even though legal marijuana is a big business in the U.S. In 2019, sales of recreational marijuana are projected to reach $12.4 billion dollars.[i] That’s from only 11 states and Washington D.C. For medical marijuana, U.S. sales are projected to reach between $4.2 and $5.2 billion dollars[ii], making legal marijuana a roughly $20 billion-dollar annual industry in this country. Additionally, the marijuana industry also earns state and local governments a hefty income in taxes. In 2020, the sales of medical and recreational marijuana are projected to raise approximately $2.2 billion in taxes, which is a significant increase from the 2017 amount of approximately $750 million in earned taxes[iii]. And the sale of marijuana as a business is on the rise. In 2017, before several states legalized recreational use of marijuana, there were between 20,000 and 28,000 cannabis businesses in the U.S.[iv] When Cash is King One overarching question in the industry is given that marijuana is still illegal on a federal level and yet legalized at the state level to the tune of $20 billion dollars annually, how are dispensaries handling sales payments? The answer is cash. Banks won’t take on dispensary customers in case they violate federal laws governing money laundering. To date, the only accepted form of payment at a marijuana dispensary is cash. In a Chicago news article from March 2019, Illinois state Treasurer Michael Frerichs was quoted as saying, “The inability of the legal cannabis industry in Illinois to use a bank or credit union for basic services such as check-writing, savings or access to capital is a sleeping giant. We have an industry hiding in the shadows because banking rules built decades ago have not kept up with changes in behavior and in law,” state Treasurer Michael Frerichs said. Meeting the Needs of Customers As cash readily flows in and out of dispensaries, cannabis shop owners are seeking better and easier ways to make cash available to their customers. One way dispensary owners can do this is through dispensary ATMs. Having an on-site ATM allows customers to withdraw cash for purchases, increasing the likelihood that they will spend in-store. By placing a dispensary ATM within their store, owners increase loyalty and foot traffic to their shop. Until marijuana is legalized on a federal level, or the U.S. government comes to some sort of agreement with states on dispensary banking rules and allowances, dispensaries in the United States will require cash payments. Providing easy-access cash resources for customers is a proactive way to increase sales in a rapidly-growing market. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”1″ _address=”0.0.0.1″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”2″ _address=”0.0.0.2″] [i] New Frontier Data. (August 1, 2018). Sales of legal cannabis in the United States from 2016 to 2025 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 01, 2019 [ii] Marijuana Business Daily. (May 9, 2019). Medical marijuana retail sales for the U.S. from 2018 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 01, 2019 [iii] New Frontier Data. (January 15, 2017). Tax revenue from medical and adult use marijuana in the United States in 2017 and 2020 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 01, 2019 [iv] Marijuana Business Daily. (May 16, 2017). Number of cannabis businesses in the U.S. as of 2017 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 01, 2019

The Industry Recovery The U.S. hotel industry has rebounded after the 2008 economic recession. In 2008, the occupancy rate of the hotel industry fell to 59.8% and fell again in 2009 to 54.6%. However, in the intervening years, as the economy rebounded, so too did the hotel industry occupancy rate, which rose to 66.2% in 2018.[i] This increase in occupancy equates to big money. From a low of $133.3 billion dollars in 2009, the revenue of the U.S. hotel industry rose to $208 billion in 2017.[ii] On a more micro scale, it equates to about a $30-dollar revenue increase per available room. In 2009, the average revenue per available room in the U.S. was $53.57. By 2018 that per-room revenue increased to $85.96.[iii] [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] A Crowded Field According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, there are 54,200 hotels in the United States, with over 5 million available rooms. Chain hotels and resorts collectively make up the largest share of America’s hotels. When looking at the number of properties, as of June 2019 the Wyndham Hotel Group came in at number one with 7,063 properties in the U.S. Choice Hotels International came in second with 6,332 U.S. hotels, and Marriot International came in third with 5,420 hotels.[iv] However, if you look at the number of guest rooms that the leading chain hotels have available, that paints a different picture. As of June 2019, Marriott International took the number one spot for the number of guest rooms available in the U.S., coming in at 945,161. Hilton Worldwide took the second spot, with 736,419 available rooms, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was third with 573,823 available rooms in the U.S.[v] And the number of hotels in the U.S. is increasing. In January 2019 there were 5,519 hotels in the development pipeline in the U.S.[vi] [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Creating Customer Loyalty So, what does that mean for hotel owners? It means that hotels are competing in a larger and larger playing field. In order to compete, hotel owners are needing to up their game when it comes to providing amenities that travelers like and need in order to make their stay more comfortable, including spa facilities, an in-house ATM, and close proximity to local attractions. Among millennial travelers in 2018 the most desired hotel amenities were free wi-fi (51% of respondents), a swimming pool (33%), and all-inclusive packages (28%).[vii] However, hotels can also get in trouble for nickel and diming for these upgraded amenities. According to hotelnewsresource.com, “Hotels that charge resort fees – daily charges for using the hotel’s facilities – are facing public backlash, as the government pushes for more rate transparency. Operators leveraging these fees to drive profit margins will have to think more creatively for other sources of revenue.” If travelers are pushing back against resort fees, then hotels need to think outside the box to increase their revenue while still providing top-tier services. One simple way hotels and resorts have found to do this is to add an in-house ATM to their hotel. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Cash Matters Travelers always need cash for tipping, for public transportation, and a myriad of other expenditures. In 2017, there were 134.8 million international tourist arrivals in North America.[viii] Long gone are the days of traveling with traveler’s checks that are then exchanged into the local currency. These days travelers bring debit and credit cards and withdraw cash from a local ATM once they arrive at their destination. The best hotel ATMs not only provide travelers with easy access to cash, they also increase the hotel’s revenue through transaction fees. And when customers have cash, they spend it. In 2017, travelers spent $36.1 billion dollars on food and drinks in hotel restaurants.[ix] In 2014, travelers spent $4.93 billion on alcoholic beverages purchased in hotels while traveling away from home.[x] By adding desirable – and revenue increasing – amenities to their facilities, hotels are able to stand out in a crowded and ever-changing field. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.26.7″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Sources: [i] hotelnewsnow.com. (January 18, 2019). Hotel occupancy rate of the United States from 2001 to 2018 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 04, 2019 [ii] hotelnewsnow.com. (June 8, 2018). Revenue of the United States hotel industry from 2001 to 2017 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 04, 2019 [iii] hotelnewsnow.com. (January 18, 2019). Average revenue per available room of the United States hotel industry from 2001 to 2018 (in U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 04, 2019 [iv] Hotel Management. (September 16, 2019). Leading hotel companies in the Americas as of June 2019, by number of properties [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 04, 2019 [v] Hotel Management. (September 16, 2019). Leading hotel companies in the Americas as of June 2019, by number of guestrooms [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 04, 2019, [vi] hotelnewsnow.com. (February 12, 2019). Monthly number of hotels in the development pipeline in the United States from 2012 to 2019* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2019 [vii] Resonance Consultancy. (January 4, 2018). Millennial travelers, from the United States, most desired hotel amenities as of January 2018* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2019 [viii] UNWTO. (August 27, 2018). Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2005 to 2017, by region (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2019 [ix] RKMA. (October 12, 2017). Food and drink sales of hotel restaurants in the United States from 2009 to 2017 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2019 [x] US Department of Agriculture. (January 26, 2016). Annual expenditure of alcoholic beverages purchased away from home in the United States from 2010 to 2014, by distribution channel (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2019

By the Numbers The Convenience Store, or C-store, industry generates large amounts of annual revenue in the United States. In 2018, there were approximately 153,237 convenience stores in America.[i] These stores sold $661.4 billion dollars’ worth of goods in 2018, including $229.4 billion in in-store sales.[ii] By itself, 7 Eleven, the largest convenience store chain in America, had an All Commodity Volume (ACV) of almost $35 million in 2019.[iii]   Making Stores Convenient While traditionally the term “convenience store” has been based on the convenience of its location, according to the 2019 Realities of the Aisle study released by Convenience Store News, these days “convenience store” harkens more toward a convenient experience. By in large, for shoppers this meant “easy access,” “easy to get in and out,” and “quick visit”.[iv] It also meant being able to easily get what they need. The CS News summary of the “Convenience” section of their study stated, “What a store has to offer is important, too, according to shoppers. In tandem with the expectation of an easy experience, 5 percent of shoppers said a store that offers a convenient shopping experience is one that is easy to shop and has what they need.” It is apparent that things such as a loyalty program, high-quality prepared foods, in-house ATMs, and a good selection of items all matter to shoppers.   The Rise of Convenience Stores C-stores continue to open in the U.S. at a solid rate. Between 2017 and 2018 3,266 new convenience stores opened around the country.[v] By a margin of close to 2-to-1, most c-stores in the U.S. are single stores. In 2018, 62.3% of c-stores were single convenience stores and 37.7% of c-stores were part of a chain.[vi] Additionally, c-stores are used frequently by shoppers. In 2018, consumers made purchases at a convenience store 2-3 times per week 29.4% of the time. And 17.4% of consumers made a purchase at least once a week.[vii]   Creating Habits Among the shoppers who frequented a c-store 2-3 times per week, 33.3% were male and 28.3% were female.[viii] Millennial shoppers frequented convenience stores more often than their older counterparts. Millennial shoppers (aged between 18-36) shopped 2-3 times a week at a c-store 60.7% of the time. Generation X shoppers (aged between 37-52) patronized c-stores 2-3 times per week 31.9% of the time. Baby Boomers (aged between 53-71) bought from a convenience store 2-3 times per week 26.3% of the time.[ix] Shoppers not only frequent convenience stores to purchase gasoline, but also shop in-store. In 2019, customers who visited a c-store made a gasoline-only purchase 60% of the time. However, 49% of weekly customers made an in-store only purchase and 49% of weekly shoppers purchased both gasoline and from in-store.[x] When a Little Can Add Up to A Lot Also, the value of in-store purchases tended to be relatively low. As per Convenience Store News, in 2019, 4% of convenience store shoppers had their most recent c-store purchase valued at less than $2. 33% valued their most recent purchase at $5 – $9.99. And 15% valued their most recent purchase at $20 or more.[xi]     Happy Customers Create Repeat Customers With this in mind, convenience store owners are dreaming up ways to keep customers coming back. Loyalty programs, mobile apps, in-store conveniences all create repeat customers. Additionally, customers prefer to pay in cash. A 2017 survey conducted by Socratic Technologies reported that if given a choice of payment options, survey respondents make convenience store purchases in cash 49% of the time.[xii] Thus, many owners have opted to place ATMs for convenience stores in their store. With easy access to cash, customers are more likely to spend that cash in-store. One concern for c-store owners is finding the best ATMs to fit their limited space. Several ATM manufacturers have developed high-technology, small footprint ATMs that are a good fit for convenience store ATMs, such as Puloon USA’s SiriUs 1 ATM. With the increase in c-stores nationwide, convenience store owners who provide their customers with a quick, easy experience that includes convenient amenities and methods of payment is one that is likely to benefit from this billion-dollar industry.     Sources: [i] CSP. (June 1, 2019). Total number of stores of the convenience store industry in the United States from 2011 to 2018 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 25, 2019 [ii] Convenience Store News. (June 1, 2019). Sales of the convenience store industry in the United States from 2011 to 2018, by format (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 25, 2019 [iii] Convenience Store News. (July 31, 2019). All commodity volume (ACV)* of the leading convenience stores in the United States in 2019 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 25, 2019 [iv] Convenience Store News. (April 30, 2019). Leading factors that consumers consider to define store convenience in the United States in 2019 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [v] Cushman & Wakefield. (April 15, 2019). Number of store openings in the United States between 2017 and 2018, by retail type [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [vi] CSP. (June 1, 2019). Share of stores of the convenience store industry in the United States from 2014 to 2018, by store format [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [vii] TrendSource. (April 4, 2018). Consumers’ convenience store purchase frequency in the United States as of 2018 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [viii] TrendSource. (April 4, 2018). Consumers’ convenience store purchase frequency in the United States as of 2018, by gender [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [ix] TrendSource. (April 4, 2018). Consumers’ convenience store purchase frequency in the United States as of 2018, by generation* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [x] Convenience Store News. (April 1, 2019). Frequency of convenience store visits in the United States in 2019 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 26, 2019 [xi] Convenience Store News. (April 1, 2019). Value of most recent convenience store trip expenditure in the United States

By the Numbers Gambling is big business in the United States. Big Business. According to a June 2019 report by the American Gaming Association (AGA), 2018 gaming revenue for U.S. commercial casinos reached an all-time high of $41.7 billion dollars, which was up 3.5% from 2017. That’s billion with a B.   Out of the 24 states with legal commercial gaming, Nevada accrued the highest amount of revenue, coming in at close to $12 Billion[i] in 2018. The majority of that revenue was earned in the Las Vegas Strip, which saw earnings of $6.59 billion[ii]. There are currently 465 commercial casinos in America[iii], which is slightly down from a high of 524 casinos in 2016. Nevertheless, casinos remain popular with the American public. Approximately one-third of Americans visited a casino in the past year. With an estimated population in the United States of almost 330 million, that’s roughly 110 million residents who visited a casino within the past year.   Age Matters A 2011 survey[iv] conducted by Hart Research and the American Gaming Association found that the majority of U.S. casino-goers were aged 50 and over, equaling 58% of casino visitors. Visitors ages 21-34 made up 18% of the total visitors, and visitors aged 35-49 made up 21% of the total visitors. What is particularly interesting, however, is that younger visitors tend to be the ones who take advantage of the added attractions that most casinos have within their facilities. 53% of 18–29-year-old and 48% of 30–49-year-old Americans visited a bar or a nightclub in a casino in 2018[v]. Additionally, 43.9% and 43.43% of 18–29-year-olds and 30–49-year-olds, respectively, went to an upscale restaurant in a casino in 2018[vi]. Stage shows or concerts held in casinos were also highly attended by younger adults in 2018. 42% of 18–29-year-olds and 35% of 30–49-year-olds attended casino-sponsored shows or concerts[vii]. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Show Me the Money While other gambling venues, such as online gaming and lottery ticket purchases, allow for credit card deposits and purchases, gambling in commercial casinos is strictly a cash business. As of 2017, many of the commercial casinos in Las Vegas began allowing customers buy meals, pay for their hotel stays, and purchase show tickets using eWallet systems. However, gambling still requires cash. Luckily, the majority of casino visitors who gamble and/or take advantage of the other offered attractions fall within a demographic that utilizes cash much of the time. According to the 2018 Findings from the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), “Survey respondents between 18 to 25 years of age and those 45 years and older use cash approximately 34 percent of the time to pay for transactions.” Which means that having cash readily accessible within a casino is imperative for a casino’s long-term growth and sustainability. ATMs for Casinos With cash still the only accepted method of payment for gambling in casinos, continued successful revenue requires easy access to cash resources. In-house ATMs are a necessity to keep the cash flowing. Casinos often bulk purchase, lease, or place a fleet of ATMs within their facilities so that casino-goers don’t have to hunt them down. One concern casino owners face is spacing. Owners don’t want to give up precious revenue-producing gaming space for clunky ATMs. The best ATMs for casinos are small in footprint, but have high-end technology and sturdy parts, such as Puloon USA’s Sirius I ATM, which has a compact design, small footprint, but comes with the superior technology and reliability of a top-brand ATM. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Keeping Customers Happy Given that commercial casino revenues only seem to be on the rise, casinos are paying close attention to their customer market share. Keeping their customers happy and coming back means a steady stream of quality entertainment, high-quality food and drink, reliable cash resources, and engaging games. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.26.7″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″] Sources: [i] American Gaming Association. (June 11, 2019). Gross gaming revenue of casinos in the United States in 2018, by state (in million U.S. dollars)* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/187926/gross-gaming-revenue-by-state-us/ [ii] RubinBrown. (April 2, 2019). Leading commercial gaming markets in the United States in 2018, by revenue (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/473124/commercial-gaming-location-revenue-usa/ [iii] American Gaming Association. (June 11, 2019). Number of commercial casinos in the United States from 2005 to 2018* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/187972/number-of-us-commercial-casinos-since-2005/ [iv] American Gaming Association. (May 4, 2011). U.S. casino visitors by age in 2010 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 18, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/188424/percentage-distribution-of-casino-visitors-in-the-us-by-age-2010/ [v] Statista. (October 31, 2018). Share of Americans who visited bars and nightclubs in casinos in the last 12 months in 2018, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/227480/bar-and-nightclub-visitors-usa/ [vi] Statista. (October 31, 2018). Share of Americans who went to an upscale restaurant in a casino in the last 12 months in 2018, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www-statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/227481/upscale-restaurant-visitors-casino-usa/ [vii] Statista. (October 31, 2018). Share of Americans who watched stage shows or concerts in casinos in the last 12 months in 2018, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www statista-com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/statistics/227479/stage-show-visitors-usa/