Kirk Sanford News

You might think the phrase “responsible gambling” is an oxymoron, but at casinos in Detroit they are about to enter into the second phase of a two phase program to promote just that: Responsible Gambling.

Kirk Sanford of Global Cash Access in partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling is making a huge effort to educate and counsel the public so that an enjoyable hobby or pastime does not turn into an addictive problem.

Accounting for approximately 95% of all cash access machines at casinos, all GCA machines will have Point-of-Decision messages printed on sticker and receipts, and 60% of the machines will also have telephone handsets which connect to a 24-hour “help-line” service center. Using the code word ‘think’ will signal to the service representative to automatically connect the customer to the National Council on Problem Gambling Hotline.

In addition, the program to promote responsible gambling also allows customers to exempt their credit cards so that if a request is made by the customer to withdraw more than a set amount of money, the withdrawal will be denied.

To learn more about this service you can see our page “Casino Cash Machines Offer Exclusion.”

SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 11, 1999–Six Mandalay Resort Group properties, amongst them the new Motor City Casino in Detroit, and 6 other gaming properties have recently signed contracts to utilize the services and products of Global Cash Access (GCA). GCA is the largest provider of cash access services to the  industry. View this Business Wire notice here, and other press releases here.

Can gambling guarantee you millions of dollars? Kirk Sanford, CEO of Global Cash Access, has proven that it does! Sanford’s company upgraded cash access systems at over one thousand casinos in 1999 in a $5 million project. In an article that appeared in Business Solutions in May 1999, Jim Roddy covered the various aspects of Global Cash Access’ technological advances and the business models it had successfully implemented. The article included  an interview with Sanford. Read about it here.

This potential product may be termed and marketed as a “home ATM and smart card” or a “global debit card,” which might pique any banker’s interest. However, this refers to the Internet gambling business.

Many companies have found ways to let people wager on-line. The firms work through banks and computer servers in other countries — many in the Caribbean — and get foreign merchant processors to help them accept MasterCard and Visa payments. The U.S. residents might be given a free bank account in the host country, which can be funded with a debit card or credit card cash advance, and then used online. Internet gambling is a “gray area we would rather not get into at this point,” said Kirk Sanford, chief executive officer of Global Cash Access. ” U.S. banks and processors do not regard gambling as inherently taboo. The lion’s share of merchant processing for the traditional, physical-world gambling industry is handled by Global Cash Access, a joint venture of First Data Corp., BankAmerica Corp.’s BA Merchant Services subsidiary, and USA Processing. See more on this topic in an article from American Banker.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 25, 1999 /PRNewswire/ — Kirk Sanford has been named chief executive officer of Global Cash Access (GCA), the largest provider of cash access services to the gaming industry. Sanford, 32, previously served as executive vice president of sales, marketing and product development for GCA, holding the position since USA Processing teamed with First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC – news) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC – news) to form Global Cash Access last year. Prior to that time, Sanford was general manager of USA Processing/ BA Merchant Services Gaming Venture, where he managed operations, sales, marketing and product development. Global Cash Access provides a full range of electronic funds transfer and other services to more than 1,200 gaming properties nationwide.