There’s a payments revolution sweeping the UK with contactless spending reaching a record high in 2024 according to the latest report from Barclays. Karen Rossouw founder and CEO at Kashing, believes there’s never been a more opportune time for operators to embrace the tap-and-play experience, enhance security, increase machine income and future-proof their business.
Karen Rossouw founder and CEO at Kashing the payments brand which works with a wide range of operators, from arcade venues and pubs-turned-family entertainment centres to holiday parks believes the latest data set released by Barclays represents a powerful call to action for those operators weighing up whether to adopt a contactless payments strategy. The Barclays Consumer Spend data confirms the pace of the payments revolution that’s sweeping the UK with contactless spending reaching a record high in 2024.
According to the report which has been produced by combining hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research, a record 94.6 per cent of all eligible in-store card transactions were made using contactless in 2024. Consumers used the technology more frequently – 236 times across the year, on average (vs. 231 in 2023) – and the cost of the average purchase increased to £16.10 (vs. £15.69 in 2023). This equates to total average contactless spend of £3,803 per person in 2024, up from £3,623 in 2023. For the fourth consecutive year, the over 65s were the fastest growing group of contactless users, with 84.1 per cent of the demographic using the payment method.
Reflecting on the survey Karen Rossouw said: “It’s clear from the Barclays findings that any business which overlooks contactless as the payment method of choice could be side-lining the overwhelming majority of consumers across every demographic. Whilst contactless transactions will not replace cash altogether the convenience of contactless represents a key opportunity for businesses in the amusements sector.”
Dealing specifically with the Kashing offering she explained: “We have focused our strategy on the unattended market, offering a tap-and-play experience that eliminates the limitations of coin payments. For years, operators were stuck – they couldn’t increase prices without frustrating customers, as people carried limited change. Kashing’s contactless solutions, means they can charge more per play, increase revenue, and enhance the player experience. By adopting a digital payments strategy operators have experienced a 30 percent to 50 percent increase in revenue.
“Eliminating cash also means eliminating the risk of theft whether through break-ins, dishonest collections or vandalism. By switching to Kashing’s cashless solutions, operators not only protect their revenue from theft and vandalism but also improve efficiency, security, and the customer experience – all while future-proofing their business.
“We are committed to refining and improving the cashless process, making it more efficient, more profitable, and more user-friendly for the amusements sector.”
