In the hyper-competitive landscape of Australian digital entertainment, the ‘win’ is only the first half of the customer journey. The second half — and arguably the most critical for long-term retention — is the payout.
For KenoGO, the country’s premier digital-first Keno platform, the mission was never just about moving a traditional game to a mobile app; it was about modernising the entire value chain of the experience. Central to that mission was a fundamental question: In an era of instant streaming and one-click ordering, why should a player have to wait days to enjoy their winnings?
"Withdrawals are a real ‘moment of truth’ in any wagering experience," says Oliver Scott, Chief Operating Officer at KenoGO. "We saw a clear opportunity to strengthen that moment and differentiate KenoGO in the market."
By partnering with Zepto, Australia’s first non-bank Connected Institution on the New Payments Platform (NPP), KenoGO has successfully closed the ‘expectation gap’, turning a legacy back-office hurdle into a front-facing competitive advantage.
The "Retail Gap": Closing the Distance Between Physical and Digital
One of the primary drivers for KenoGO’s digital evolution was the stark contrast between the physical and digital player experience. In a traditional retail venue, a player walks up to a counter, scans a ticket, and receives cash on the spot. It is immediate, tactile, and rewarding.
Historically, the online experience couldn't compete.
"There was a clear product gap versus retail. Online, traditional banking rails and batch processes were slowing things down. Uplifting our withdrawals capability with Zepto allowed us to close that gap and give our customers an online experience that feels as immediate and rewarding as walking up to a counter and being paid out straight away."
Oliver Scott
For KenoGO, "instant" isn't just a marketing buzzword — it’s about parity. To win in the digital space, the app had to feel as reliable as the physical world.
The Hidden Cost of "Legacy Lean"
Before April 2025, KenoGO’s withdrawal process was a microcosm of the friction inherent in the Australian banking system. While the front-end app was cutting-edge, the back-end was tethered to manual batching and the ‘Direct Entry’ (BECS) system — a framework built for a pre-internet era.
Scott is candid about the operational toll this took on the business. "Our withdrawals process was labor-intensive," he notes. "Each withdrawal involved multiple manual touchpoints across different teams. Approvals and payment runs were batched, rather than truly on-demand."
This manual intervention wasn't just a drain on time; it was a barrier to scaling. As KenoGO’s popularity grew, so did the ‘spaghetti mess’ of administrative tasks:
- The ‘Weekend Wall’: A player winning on a Friday night might not see their funds until Monday morning, leading to a surge in support queries over the weekend.
- Reconciliation Headaches: Manually matching batched files and handling exceptions was a daily grind for the finance team.
- The Support Spike: ‘Where is my withdrawal?’ became a dominant theme for customer service, distracting them from more complex player needs.
"This created a mismatch between what customers expected from a modern digital product and what we could deliver with the infrastructure we had," says Scott.
Enter Zepto: Real-Time as a Strategic Lever
KenoGO didn't just need a payment gateway; they needed a partner that understood the nuances of the Australian regulatory landscape and the technical power of the NPP.
Zepto’s API-led infrastructure allowed KenoGO to move away from ‘pushing files’ to ‘streaming data’. By automating the payout flow, KenoGO effectively turned their payments department into a self-service engine.
"Zepto stood out because they clearly understood our vision for instant, trustworthy payouts. They brought deep expertise in real-time payments and compliance within the Australian landscape."
Oliver Scott
The "Aha!" Moment for the Customer
Since going live, the most visible impact has been the ‘Instant Win’ feedback loop. In the past, the adrenaline of the win would dissipate during the three-day wait for the bank transfer. Now, the adrenaline stays high because the money arrives before the player has even put their phone back in their pocket.
"Customers now see their winnings land in their bank accounts almost instantly, which fundamentally changes how they feel about the product and the brand," Scott observes. This immediate gratification has led to a noticeable increase in ‘withdrawal confidence’ — players are more likely to trust the platform because they know they have 24/7 access to their funds.
Operational Uplift: Decoupling Growth from Headcount
From a business perspective, the Zepto integration has delivered the holy grail of fintech operations: the ability to scale volume without a linear increase in overhead.
"Zepto has allowed us to scale efficiently. Our withdrawals volume has grown substantially, but our operational overhead hasn’t grown at the same rate."
Oliver Scott
By removing the manual touch from the withdrawal lifecycle, KenoGO has realised several key business wins:
- Automation at Scale: Payments are processed on-demand, 24/7/365, without requiring a staff member to hit ‘approve’ on a batch file.
- Resource Reallocation: Team members who were previously bogged down in reconciliation are now focused on product innovation and market expansion.
- Support Deflection: The dramatic reduction in ‘where is my money?’ queries has lowered the cost-per-customer significantly.
A Step-Change in Customer Control
KenoGo has seen strong growth in withdrawal volumes as customers gain confidence that they can withdraw funds quickly, and this is having a positive influence on the company's safer gambling efforts.
"When players can withdraw quickly and easily, it supports better money management and reduces friction when they decide to step away."
Oliver Scott
If a player has to wait hours or even days for a payout, they can be more likely to 'play through' those winnings while they wait. Real-time payouts can break that cycle.
By making withdrawals instant, KenoGO players are empowered to cash out and step away more easily when the moment strikes them.
The Integration Experience: Beyond the API
For many COOs, the fear of a ‘heavy lift’ integration often delays necessary upgrades. However, Scott describes the onboarding with Zepto as a collaborative, commercially focused journey rather than a pure IT project.
"The documentation was clear, and their APIs were straightforward for our team to work with. But beyond the tech, Zepto’s team was accessible and responsive. They took the time to understand our specific flows and regulatory constraints, rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all approach."
Oliver Scott
This partnership mindset ensured that the transition from ‘legacy batch’ to ‘real-time flow’ was structured, predictable, and — most importantly — successful on day one.
The Future: Real-Time is the New Baseline
As KenoGO looks toward the future, the partnership with Zepto is viewed as a foundational pillar of their growth strategy. In a market where customer expectations are set by global giants like Uber and Amazon, ‘slow’ is no longer an option.
"Our partnership with Zepto has been a key enabler of KenoGO’s growth," Scott concludes. "What stands out most is the alignment of values: a shared focus on innovation, customer experience, and doing things the right way from a regulatory and risk perspective."
For KenoGO, the ‘Moment of Truth’ is no longer a point of anxiety — it’s their greatest strength.