Out of the factors that propel digital wallets to their current growth, three elements, in particular, stand out. A big talking point is that more people are using the Internet for the first time to engage with payment offerings. In Southeast Asia alone, more than 40 million people did just that in 2020, according to a study by Google, Singapore state investment company Temasek, and consultancy Bain.
The numbers also show that digital wallets will encourage more e-commerce transactions. Data from Euromonitor suggests that Asia is set to account for 40% of an estimated US$13.3 trillion in global retail sales this year while making up 47% of US$2.9 trillion in e-commerce transactions and 65% of mobile commerce (worth US$1.6 trillion).
For a new generation, cash is most definitely not king. Digital wallet apps such as Venmo or Apple Pay have supplanted the way money changes hands to the degree that many young people have no interest in getting paid back with old fashioned bills or shudder at hand-written checks. The IRS has taken notice, and come January, anyone who does business using third-party payment networks will receive a 1099-K for income over $600.
These successful examples may serve as important references for regulators in other jurisdictions who are embarking on their review of cashless gaming technology for introduction in their respective regions. In many cases, regulatory support may be fostered through a thorough understanding of the social and policy benefits which these digital systems can provide. To this end, the American Gaming Association released its Payments Modernization Policy Principles in June 2020 to educate state and tribal regulators towards a flexible regulatory framework that allows digital payments in the casino environment.
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