Unable to use SMTP Gmail server to send email authentications

I am trying to send User email verification. I have updated the env and mail configuration to suit my Google Mail. However, I am encountering a Swift_TransportException (530) error.

.env

MAIL_DRIVER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_USERNAME=okaydots@gmail.com
MAIL_PASSWORD=

mail.php

return [
    'driver' => env('MAIL_DRIVER', 'smtp'),
    'host' => env('MAIL_HOST', 'smtp.gmail.com'),
    'port' => env('MAIL_PORT', 587),
    'from' => [
        'address' => env('MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS', 'okaydots@gmail.com'),
        'name' => env('MAIL_FROM_NAME', 'Kyle Jeynes'),
    ],
    'encryption' => env('MAIL_ENCRYPTION', 'tls'),
    'username' => env('okaydots@gmail'),
    'password' => env(''),
    'sendmail' => '/usr/sbin/sendmail -bs',
    'pretend'  => false,
    'markdown' => [
        'theme' => 'default',

        'paths' => [
            resource_path('views/vendor/mail'),
        ],
    ],
    'log_channel' => env('MAIL_LOG_CHANNEL'),
];

User.php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Notifications\Notifiable;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Auth\MustVerifyEmail;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\User as Authenticatable;

class User extends Authenticatable implements MustVerifyEmail
{
    use Notifiable;

    protected $fillable = [
        'name', 'email', 'password',
    ];

    protected $hidden = [
        'password', 'remember_token',
    ];
}

web.php

Route::get('/', function () {
    return view('welcome');
});

Auth::routes(['verify' => true]);

Route::get('/home', 'HomeController@index')->name('home');

HomeController.php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;

class HomeController extends Controller
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->middleware('auth');
        $this->middleware('verified');
    }

    public function index()
    {
        return view('home');
    }
}

This is the exact error message I am receiving:

Expected response code 250 but got code "530", with message "530-5.5.1 Authentication Required. Learn more at 530 5.5.1 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=WantAuthError 133sm47765wme.9 - gsmtp "

After googling this error, I was told to Turn on less secure apps. After doing so, I still receive the same error. How can I allow Laravel to send email verification / emails?

via Chebli Mohamed