Monopoly Goes Cashless, Now Accepts Apple Pay

In an effort to introduce digital payment options for Monopoly players, Hasbro has added Apple Pay to its latest version of its popular board game. Players will be able to use their mobile wallets in the game’s latest iteration, which has been dubbed iMonopoly, Hasbro said in an announcement on April 1, 2018.

“Now, more than ever, consumers are using mobile wallets to pay for everyday purchases,” the Monopoly Man told PYMNTS. “Apple Pay will lead to faster, more seamless rent payments on properties from Vermont Avenue to the Boardwalk.”

Each new game will ship with a miniature card reader that will connect to the banker’s iPad or iPhone. When a player makes the unfortunate move of landing on a property with a hotel, the player can use their iPhone to pay with their credit card of choice. The idea behind the service, according to the Monopoly Man, is to reduce friction within gameplay and bring the very analog board game of Monopoly into the digital age.

“It was always so easy to land on Jim’s property, but always so hard to pay his rent,” said Bob, a Monopoly player from Austin, Texas, in a PYMNTS interview. “With Apple Pay, I can just take out my iPhone to pay my rent without having to break out the Monopoly Money. Plus, I don’t have to deal with Ken, the banker. I don’t think anyone trusts Ken with the Monopoly Money anyway.”

The move was also touted by an Apple spokesperson, who said the move speaks to the many applications of Apple Pay. “Apple Pay is truly accepted everywhere — even in board games,” the spokesperson said. “We are so proud that the iconic Monopoly game has partnered with us to bring digital payments to this very cash-centric environment.”

Beyond Apple Pay, the Monopoly Man said that the popular board game will introduce new payment options in the future. Bankers, for example, might accept bitcoin, XRP, or MonopolyCoin, a new cryptocurrency backed by hotels in the game.

“We’re just getting started unlocking the potential of payments in the Monopoly game,” said the Monopoly Man. “I think the next few years will be an exciting time for our legendary game, except for Ken, the banker. I don’t think he’s going to be happy about all of this.”