Music & Games

Intercard offers free educational materials on reopening after COVID-19

May 15, 2020

To assist family entertainment centers and arcades preparing to reopen following the COVID-19 shutdown, Intercard, a cashless provider to the amusement industry, is offering free educational materials under its Pay It Safe campaign that calls attention to the health risks of using smartphones and mobile devices for contactless payment until there is a treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, according to a press release. 

Operators can print Pay It Safe posters to display in their facility and post the message on their websites and social media accounts.
    
Although known as "contactless payment," in actual use phones and cards often touch the payment device and germs and viruses can be transferred between devices, according to the press release. Intercard claims cards are safer because people are less likely to touch their face with a card whereas everyone touches their phone to their face. While both can be sanitized, a simple wipe or spray with disinfectant will clean a card. Greater care must be taken when cleaning phones and mobile devices to avoid damaging their surfaces or electronics, according to the release. 

"Even though Intercard's cashless systems can accept mobile devices we feel that the responsible action is to discourage payment by phone at this time," Scott Sherrod, Intercard CEO, said in the release. "Game cards and credit cards are better and safer choices. Using lanyards for cards and wearing gloves during game play are additional precautions players can take to reduce contact with high-touch surfaces." 

Intercard customers can also benefit by using the e-commerce feature of its software, which allows FEC customers to buy game cards online in the safety of their home. "The customer then prints out a paper receipt with a QR code that is scanned at the arcade's iTeller kiosk to receive the game card," said Sherrod. "There is no need for interaction with a staff member and the paper receipt and card are disposable."

Image courtesy of Intercard.