Tackling casino security and revenue challenges with facial recognition

At the Global Table Games and Game Protection conference, industry leaders including Rob Watts, Corsight AI president and chief strategy officer, spotlighted the evolving challenges in casino security, compliance, and customer engagement.

High on the agenda were the limitations of existing facial recognition technologies, including false positives and negatives that drain resources, and the untapped revenue potential of personalized VIP services.

Self-exclusion compliance under scrutiny

In Australia, casinos face mounting pressure to enforce self-exclusion policies as incidents of lapses gain public attention. Reports revealed cases where self-excluded gamblers were allowed entry into gaming areas, exacerbating addiction risks and exposing casinos to legal repercussions. One such incident involved Victoria’s pubs and clubs pokies self-exclusion program allowing access to a self-excluded individual, leading to a “full-blown relapse” for the gambler, the Guardian reports.

Facial intelligence systems integrated with compliance tools like AusComply offer a promising solution. These systems use real-time facial recognition to identify self-excluded individuals, issuing alerts to security teams to prevent entry. Corsight AI and AusComply partnered last year to help identify gambling self-excluders in Sydney pubs.

As the Australian government moves toward stricter gambling regulations, including a transition to cashless gaming cards in Tasmania, such technology could become a cornerstone for compliance. A report published by Australian Hotelier goes one step further in suggesting the use of facial recognition technology to stop problem gamblers from entering gambling facilities.

Australia has also tightened customer identification requirements for online gambling providers, with enforcement overseen by AUSTRAC, the nation’s financial crime regulator. In September 2024, AUSTRAC introduced stricter guidelines mandating that online gambling platforms verify customers’ identities before permitting them to place bets or withdraw funds.

Strengthening security against fraud and unauthorized access

Known threats, including card counters and individuals with a history of fraud, remain a burden on casino security teams. Traditional manual monitoring often falls short, allowing these individuals to operate undetected. Facial intelligence technology showcased at the conference offers real-time identification capabilities, in a bid to streamline security operations and reduce reliance on human oversight.

This comes as the Guardian reports that gambling syndicates are reportedly paying men up to $400 to provide their passports, driver’s licenses, bank and Medicare details, and selfies, to enable the syndicates to place bets under false identities. The government has raised concerns about the risks of identity theft associated with this practice.

While security is a top priority, the conference also emphasized missed opportunities in customer engagement. Many casinos struggle to identify VIP guests upon arrival, resulting in suboptimal service and diminished loyalty. Facial recognition technology was highlighted for its ability to analyze appearance patterns to instantly recognize high-value customers, while complying with international standards, including GDPR and the ISO 42001 framework for biometric data management.

Compliance-ready FRT

Corsight is well versed in the needs of the Australian gambling industry. In August the company highlighting its compliance-ready technology at the Security Exhibition in Sydney, showcasing facial recognition technologies tailored to support Australia’s latest gambling regulations.

At the time, Corsight highlighted that even smaller establishments, such as pubs with poker machines, will need to implement digital identification systems to comply with the government’s enforcement approach.

To learn more about the importance of compliance and ethical considerations in deploying facial recognition technologies effectively watch this on-demand webinar led by Tony Porter, chief privacy officer of Corsight AI and former UK surveillance camera commissioner.

Article Topics

Australia  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  casinos  |  Corsight  |  facial recognition  |  gambling