Gambling company Tabcorp recently completed an eight-week trial facial analysis for age estimation in three Melbourne locations to identify when an individual under 18 years old enters a betting facility, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. The trial was successful, so now the company plans to roll the technology out to 400 TAB agencies starting midway through 2020.
During the trial, the faces of people entering Tabcorp locations were scanned with the artificial intelligence video surveillance system, which would alert employees if a person estimated to be 25 years old or younger entered. The legal gambling age in Australia is 18. Betters are able to place wagers at the locations on kiosks, meaning they may otherwise not interact with an employee who can verify their age.
Facial Recognition Casino
Tabcorp Executive General Manager of Wagering Andy Wright says the company had been concerned the trial would reduce the number of customers using the facilities, but this did not happen.
Case in Point: Macau and Facial Recognition Macau is one of the places where the gaming industry is booming, but also one of the places where regulations are slightly stricter. In December 2018, a new measure to ban casino employees from entering casinos in out-of-work hours was introduced. Taking Players at Face Value. Another interesting usage of facial recognition is in casinos. The latest casino news have been discussing the introduction of such a feature in the gambling industry. The idea is still fresh, although some establishments have already implemented it. Facial recognition has arrived in the Scientific Games' Las Vegas showroom. Chief product officer Tim Bucher walks up to a baccarat table with two iPad-sized screens attached at the ends. The displays show the title of the game and easily blend into the background amid the lights and sounds of slot machines. According to Jackson's lawsuit, the facial recognition technology was used by the casino's security cameras. The lawsuit continues to explain that 'each time plaintiff and other rewards program members gambled at defendant's casino, defendant's facial recognition technology scanned the geometry of their faces to identify them against.
'Cameras are common in retail environments, banks, service stations, ATMs, pubs and clubs and it's broadly accepted by customers. We've just got to make sure that whatever we do doesn't compromise our privacy obligations,' he says.
The technology, which SMH refers to as facial recognition software, will not operate at TAB retail terminals in pubs and clubs. During the trial, Tabcorp worked with Australian machine learning and AI company Eliiza and three facial recognition vendors, according to the report.
Facial recognition rolled out in New Zealand
SkyCity Entertainment Group, one of New Zealand's largest casino operators, has begun using facial recognition in its Auckland, Hamilton, and Queenstown venues to identify problem gamblers, Casino Guardian reports. New Zealand company Torutek designed the system, which went live in November.
The group's SkyCity Adelaide is also one of the few casinos in Australia using facial recognition, according to the report, and a similar system is now being tested in Christchurch Casino, with the capability to track how long people have been on the floor to identify problem gambling.
The system is expected to help identify self-excluded and other barred gamblers, and can reportedly match individuals disguising themselves with hats or sunglasses.
Merkur at ICE London
Merkur Gaming is preparing to put on a 'big show' at the upcoming ICE London event, with technologies including its biometric youth protection feature Play Safe & Easy Plus, according to Yogonet.
The age-checking system works by capturing a facial image and performing biometric face recognition with blacklists and whitelists for protection of youths and other individuals.
The company also plans to demonstrate a number of new games, and gaming systems in both large, immersive and more compact form factors.
Omnigo tapped by top Macau casino operators
All six major casino operators in Macau are now using Omnigo technologies, including iTrak Incident Reporting and Risk Management technologies with facial recognition, the company has announced.
The simplified reporting and data analysis functions of iTrak enable casinos to operate more efficiently, according to the announcement, to protect staff, patrons, property and assets with real-time, data-driven security intelligence. Facial recognition is included as one of the modules within iTrak, along with Visitor Management, Lost and Found and others.
Casino Guardian notes in the above story that Macau casinos are known for detailed customer profiling.
'One of the major benefits of penetrating a market like Macau with Omnigo's security system is that casinos can draw from a shared database of banned patrons, advantaged players, and VIP guests from Day One of implementation,' says OMNIGO Software CRO Mark Kornegay. 'Sharing data across properties enhances security and surveillance for everyone by allowing casino operators to exchange critical information with each other and with law enforcement.'
Omnigo claims its casino customer portfolio also includes 100 percent of the Las Vegas strip and 65 percent of the Canadian gaming market.
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Article Topics
access management | age verification | biometrics | casinos | facial recognition | Omnigo
The Japanese government is working hard to prevent problem gambling. Reports are surfacing that lawmakers in this country are calling for facial recognition for gamblers entering pachinko parlors and horse race tracks. This technology will help the government to refuse gambling options for problem gamblers and under-age players.
This is one of the biggest steps a country has taken to regulate their land-based gaming industry. Let's take a look at why this law is being proposed, and discuss the odds of it being passed this year.
Japan Beginning to Invest in Gambling Industry
Historically speaking, the Japanese government has been firmly against most forms of traditional gambling. For many years, the only real forms of wagering here were inside pachinko parlors and betting on horse racing. That all changed in July of 2018.
That month, the government passed legislation to allow casinos to be built in four different Japanese cities. Some of the biggest gambling companies in the world immediately stated their intention to enter this market. Lawmakers in Japan need to establish a firm set of laws before any casino can be built.
Some of the aforementioned gambling companies are already establishing a presence here. MGM Resorts recently secured a sponsorship with the MLB during the opening series taking place in Tokyo.
Facial Recognition Bing
It's clear that Japan is investing in its gambling industry. With that being said, lawmakers here are making it clear they want to avoid problem gambling inside the country. The facial recognition for gamblers here is evidence of that.
Why is Japan Pushing Towards Facial Recognition for Gamblers?
The Japanese government is working to complete the legal framework for casinos to begin operating. One of the biggest issues they face is how to prevent gambling addiction throughout the country. This plan to use facial recognition software in pachinko parlors and horse race tracks will help the government understand how to curb problem gambling.
Gaming parlors in Japan can already block individuals with gambling addiction issues. Unfortunately, these bans are difficult to enforce. Facial recognition will allow gambling establishments to better prevent those with gambling addictions to make wagers.
In many ways, this is an experiment. If these laws are passed, and the results are positive, the Japanese government will use the same facial recognition software inside casinos.
Japan is calling for public opinion on this matter. Japanese citizens have the ability to weigh in on whether or not this new law would be good for the country. A decision to approve or deny this new law will be made in April.
What Else Is Japan Doing to Protect Their Gambling Industry?
Japan's government is working on a number of ways to protect their citizens from problem gaming. Reports are coming out that a ban on ATM machines inside gaming establishments is coming. There are ATM machines located in nearly all pachinko parlors and race tracks around the country.
Lawmakers in the country are also planning to implement a ban on all advertising that 'arouses passions for gambling.' Companies operating gambling establishments will not be allowed to use traditional marketing tactics that many of the top online gambling sites in Europe utilize.
The government is also planning to build gambling addiction treatment centers throughout the country. Schools will also educate students on the dangers of problem gaming.
Japan is finally opening up its gambling market. Unfortunately, the iGaming industry here is existent. Internet gambling in the country is currently unavailable. High revenue earnings from casinos in the country may help to change the government's stance on online gambling.
Do you think facial recognition for gamblers in Japan will be effective? How popular will casino gambling in the country be? Make sure to let us know what you think in the comment section below!
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