How solutions provider Embed is fostering cashless payments across family entertainment centres

Tell us about the journey of your company so far.
We are a 20-year-old family entertainment, arcade, and amusement enterprise with a long and illustrious history. We offer cashless software and hardware solutions that efficiently manages an entertainment centre. Part of our software technology also ensures that guests have a seamless experience at the venue.

How do you see the growth of cashless payments in the entertainment industry?
Cashless payments have been around for a long time; however, the Covid-19 pandemic has spurred growth. It has worked as a driving force for the adoption of low-touch means of transactions and cashless payments. It is also simple to use so that customers don’t have to fumble with cash or look for an ATM, while minimising risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Can you tell me about the solutions that you provide for this industry?
Our primary offerings include the technologies in the point of sale, the redemption experience, the kiosk, the administration of the games, RFID wearable media, and the arcade debit game card readers. However, we are also looking at how we can broaden our offering through existing partnerships with tech collaborators like Amazon Web Services, Apple, and Google.

In 2019, we launched our award-winning Mobile Wallet technology. We were and continue to be the first firm to be Apple and Google certified, allowing customers to load their virtual game card onto their phone and use it to interact with gaming machines, reload, and top up their cards without leaving the game instead of walking to the cashier.

We have also developed business intelligence and reporting platform. We can automatically handle all of the games and game pricing across numerous locations. So, we’re expanding the feature set from an operational standpoint while also considering how we can connect with guests and provide them with a seamless experience.

From an operator’s standpoint, moving away from tokens and coins can reduce operational administration expenses. Meanwhile, operators may also learn more about their consumers’ spending and gaming habits, gather information about them, create a relationship, and promote loyalty through our service. In a nutshell, with an arcade debit card system, we can increase the family entertainment centre’s revenue while lowering maintenance expenses and manpower.

Which are your key markets, and what demand do you see for your solutions in the Middle East?
We have a global presence in 56 countries. The US, Canada, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Middle East, Europe, and the UK are among our important regions and markets. We’ve had a presence in the Middle East since 2013 as we have long recognised the importance of this region. Our industry is now increasing at an annual rate of roughly 11 per cent. However, in the Middle East, things are moving faster, with a growth of approximately 13-14 per cent. We believe the reason for this rapid growth is that the region has consistently recognised the value of entertainment as part of its core strategy and provides world-class experiences to residents and tourists. In fact, the industry is included in Saudi Vision 2030, with an aim to diversify the country’s resources. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has also accelerated the demand for gaming and entertainment with humans craving connection and social interaction.

Embed is turning 21 this year. What are the company’s plans going forward?
Our primary objective is to continue revolutionising the industry and continue being this domain’s top technological innovator. Our mission is to enable, empower, and ease the business of fun. We’ll also be revealing a slew of innovations this year. In addition, we get to pilot and experiment with a lot of the technology that comes out of Amazon Web Services, Apple, and Google, and we see how we can apply it to the family entertainment sector. Finally, we want to continue creating, developing, and flourishing in this field that we refer to as the “business of fun.”

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