William Hill Priority Access card gets wider rollout
Operator says card which enables customers to pay for items using betting balance has resulted in increased betting activity
William Hill is rolling its recently launched Priority Access card out to its wider customer base after early signs showed punters using the payment card were maintaining higher balances and placing more bets.
The Access card, which was developed and soft launched in conjunction with Mastercard late last year, is linked directly to customers’ William Hill balances and enables holders to pay for items anywhere card payments are accepted.
Speaking to eGaming Review, Jamie Hart, William Hill director of innovation and customer experience, said the card had proven to be a hit with customers while it had also boosted business for the operator itself.
“Balances are up, traditional withdrawals are down and the number of bets has increased,” Hart said. “Most payments with the card are cash machine withdrawals – cash never loses its appeal – and most of the rest are pub or restaurant payments.
“And the greatest driver of choice for your next bet is where your balance is [while] the attractions for the customer are numerous – that’s what makes this a real win-win,” he added.
After initial testing with VIP customers, the operator is now making the card available to all those who have previously funded their accounts using a debit card and has also launched a television advert to raise awareness, with primetime slots during coverage of the Rugby Union World Cup.
However, unlike the Connect Card offered by rival bookmaker Coral, the Access card does not track customer betting patterns across retail and online, with its main advantage being that customers can access winnings as soon as bets are settled.
“The Connect card is about Coral tracking your activity and cross-selling you products – it’s not making your life easier,” Hart said.
“If I win online I want to spend it in a club getting the drinks in or just getting cash out of the cash point. I don’t see why I want to travel to my nearest Coral, especially when they close at 10pm,” he added.
The Access card push comes as the operator nears completion of Project Trafalgar, an undertaking which has seen the operator gradually upgrade its website in order to give it full autonomy over its front-end.