The fourth day of the SBC Digital Summit began with a track dedicated to payments, and the opportunities and challenges the gambling industry would see from the COVID-19 crisis in this area. To begin the day, Sam Barrett, Director of Gaming at Trustly, delivered the opening speech.

In a short opening talk, Barrett noted that as the economy enters tough times, jurisdictions are starting to focus on affordability. But as each country figures out how they want to tackle that problem, payments are increasingly going digital, as a way to reduce the tactile spread of the virus through coins and paper bills. “I do believe after the crisis, the need to move away from cash will be even greater,” he said.

Later in the day, in the Banking Crisis panel, moderator Andre McGeachin, CCO of Neosurf spoke with panelists Mickael Marceau, Head of Payments for the Kindred Group, Alfredo Lazcano, Chairman of Lazcano Samano, Olga Golikova, Head of Billing for Parimatch and Tal Itzhak Ron, Chairman and CEO of the Tal Ron, Drihem & Co., Law Firm looked at the continuing headches of payments and finding great banking partners, and how this crisis might change things.

Marceau and Lazcano agreed that there’s a clear lack of understanding towards the gambling industry, relegated to being a black sheep of entertainment. Lazcano suggests the gambling industry needs to invest in educating banks, and the public, that it’s a responsible industry that helps fulfil many important societal responsibilities.