A Las Vegas-based firm has managed to create a tool that acts as a scanner and enables staff to sign people up for membership in seconds. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Playsoft Technologies' app will be ready for use in casinos later this year.

It will be used to enrol gamblers on to players card programs, taking personal details from users in order to offer them deals, offers and information. Tony de Leon, president of the developer, told the newspaper: "I've been in this business for more than 20 years. I'm a tech guy and people have been asking for this."

One promotion that could have used the technology had it been launched earlier is that offered recently by the Cosmopolitan casino in Las Vegas, which promised to reimburse people who lost a certain amount of cash at its venue.