Everi Payments Inc., entered into an agreement with Bluefin, a provider of PCI-validated encryption and tokenization technologies, to bring a new level of payment security to their casino gaming customer base.

Bluefin is Everi’s PCI P2PE solution provider and has listed its own tailored solution for Everi. Through its agreement with Bluefin, Everi utilizes Decryptx that enables processors, payment gateways and software platforms to offer PCI-validated point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solutions directly to their clients.

Everi develops solutions that incorporate customer-centric features across loyalty, payments, and casino operations. By deploying Decryptx, Everi’s customers will have the highest level of card-present security, simple chain of custody device management, and a seamless P2PE solution that does not require a change to their payment processing relationships.

“The Everi team understands how important security is to their customers and casino gaming at large,” said Andrea Eaton, Bluefin’s Chief Revenue Officer. “We are thrilled to be delivering added security and scope reduction benefits of PCI-validated point-to-point encryption.”

Bluefin recently announced it has teamed up with Visa for network tokenization which will work hand in hand with the solution Everi has selected.

Olo Inc. announced additional availability of Borderless functionality for all Olo Pay customers, unlocking the benefits of streamlined payment across a broader set of Olo’s network of 600 brands.

Previously limited to Olo Pay customers using its white-label interface Serve, Borderless is now available to all Olo Pay customers including those with custom ordering websites and apps, enabling more brands access to increased revenue potential and actionable guest data. Borderless capabilities simplify the checkout process for guests by eliminating the need to remember a password or manually enter credit card information at every purchase. In addition to helping restaurants meaningfully increase basket conversion, guest retention, and visit frequency, Borderless enhances the guest experience and de-identifies guest data to inform high-level business decisions.

Additional capabilities Olo launched include enhanced QR Code Ordering and Geolocation Partner Notifications. Furthering Olo’s on-premise dining offerings, new QR code ordering functionality allows guests to quickly and easily update their table number from their personal mobile device, providing the flexibility to dine where they’d like throughout their on-premise experience and bridging communication from guest to server. Restaurant customers using Geolocation Partner Notifications will now be able to see approaching and arrival notifications for guests on Expo, Olo’s tablet-based software solution focused on enhancing the front-of-house workflow in restaurants. This feature’s automation eliminates the need for multiple tablets and ensures food is prepared efficiently and on time, resulting in fresh food for guests.

Sage Hospitality Group announced the recent addition of The Pierside Hotel  in Santa Monica, Calif., to the company’s portfolio of more than 110 hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues in 14 states. The Pierside joins the Sage Independent Hotel Collection, bringing the number of fully independent, lifestyle hotels that Sage operates to 18.

“The Pierside Hotel is the 11th property added to our independent portfolio in less than two years, which certainly reaffirms our deep commitment to becoming America’s favorite lifestyle hospitality company by continuing to build our presence in the independent segment,” said Daniel del Olmo, president of hotels and restaurants for Sage Hospitality Group. 

Following a multi-million-dollar reimagination as a premium lifestyle hotel, The Pierside officially opened its doors to guests in late January. Perfectly located at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue, just steps from the famed Santa Monica Pier, The Pierside is the closest to that iconic destination and the first hotel to open on Ocean Avenue in more than a decade. With 132 guestrooms and suites, The Pierside boasts sweeping ocean views; an inviting and laid-back atmosphere; The Boardshop, a full-service gear rental; beach butler services; and renowned artist Shepard Fairey’s largest mural in the Los Angeles area. The Surfing Fox, the property’s signature restaurant that will be operated by Sage Restaurant Concepts, anchors Pierside as a day-to-night dining destination. Inspired by an admiration for Santa Monica and its community, the restaurant will serve California-sourced spirits, beers and wines and an approachable but indulgent menu.

To learn more about Sage Hospitality Group and its expanding portfolio of more than 110 hotels, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and entertainment venues from coast to coast, visit www.sagehospitalitygroup.com. 

Hospitality technology start-up Fanz has announced the release of their new hospitality-focused full-suite commerce platform consisting of digital products for marketing, payments, ordering, loyalty and guest feedback.

Fanz enables hospitality companies to activate known guests with marketing and upsell campaigns based on a guestAI engine that improves the efficiency of payments, F&B operations, and loyalty/rewards programs by providing a single solution that can handle these processes seamlessly. With a single payment service, hotels, restaurants, and events can operate both their online booking system as well as process physical payments on location. The F&B e-commerce solution allows customers to upload digital menus and facilitates guest-initiated F&B ordering and payment from wherever they may be located on the property, such as in the bar, next to the pool, or ordering from their rooms. It also supports native loyalty, rewards, and guest feedback programs, which are seamlessly integrated into every guest payment.

All of the guest data, gathered from PMS connectivity, F&B ordering, payment, loyalty, and feedback, is aggregated into Fanz's unique guestAI database (formerly known as CRM) to facilitate intelligent, automated guest communication and activation. 

Hotel software solutions provider P3 allows guests to book interconnected hotel rooms online. This  new service is designed to enhance the guest journey for families and other groups, making it easier for them to guarantee their booking of interconnected rooms without the need to contact the hotel.  

The P3 booking engine is able to identify and secure interconnected rooms in the hotel’s property management system at the time of booking, eliminating the risk of human error, and avoiding families or groups arriving at their destination to find that their rooms were not actually reserved in the desired configuration. This also removes the need for guests to either phone or email a hotel with a request for connecting rooms, which also reduces the work of hotel staff, who otherwise would have to manually complete the task for their guests. 

Currently only a few very large major hotel groups, such as Hilton, facilitate booking interconnecting or adjoining rooms online within their own proprietary booking systems. P3 is an independent booking engine provider to offer this functionality to hotels of any size. The service can be integrated into Oracle Hospitality’s OPERA property management systems. 

In other news, the Irish technology company recently released a housekeeping tool that allows staff to update and view live information on the status of each room. This tool is a mobile webpage that pulls out the changes made in OPERA to display a live report of whether a room is vacant, occupied, clean, out-of-order, etc. This dynamic tool is designed to help housekeeping staff better organize room cleanings, but can also be used by the maintenance team to get a report of rooms that need to be checked. Users can filter their view by floor, room status or housekeeping status according to their role.

UK tech company Zenoo has created a new ID verification platform which is free to use for agencies that are connecting accommodation hosts with Ukrainian refugees.

Zenoo supplies digital onboarding and protection from financial crime for businesses but also has a significant not-for-profit wing. The latest not-for-profit  project is ensuring Ukrainian refugees are protected from trafficking gangs through its Freedom ID Check platform.

Hotel Industry Launches Free Trafficking Prevention Training to Mark World Day Against Trafficking Persons

While many accommodation agency websites set up in response to the war in Ukraine are grassroots initiatives created by developers with the best intentions, the lack of suitable ID verification has led to an influx of exploitative hosts registering.

An investigation by the Observer revealed that the Home Office has been warned repeatedly by police that vulnerable occupants of hotels housing refugees, particularly children, would be targeted by criminal networks.

Stuart Watkins, Zenoo CEO, said, "Times of mass migration as refugees flee war are prime territory for highly sophisticated criminal organizations to take advantage of vulnerable women and children. By verifying the identities of accommodation hosts we are reducing the risk of trafficking."

Freedom ID Check uses the same technology leading financial institutions use to comply with anti-money laundering requirements and which border control agencies use to verify individuals.