Casinos in Ontario Are Using Facial Recognition Technology in Order to Identify Problem Gamblers

Gambling is fun for a lot of people, but for some it becomes an addiction that ends up taking over their lives. A gambling addiction is a serious issue because before they know it, a person can find themselves in a lot of debt and then they start to feel that the only way out of their predicament is to take their own life. Casinos, whether land-based or online, get a lot of stick from people who believe that they do not do enough to try and help problem gamblers. However, as you are about to find out, this is certainly not the case when it comes to casinos in Ontario, Canada.

New Facial Recognition Technology

Brick and Mortar casinos around Ontario are using facial recognition technology in order to help addicted gamblers overcome their demons. In Ontario alone, there are close to 20,000 addicted gamblers who are taking part in self-exclusion programs in order to try and overcome their gambling addiction. However, like anyone who has ever tried to give up smoking or drinking will tell you, it is not an easy thing to do and sometimes you cannot help but give into your urges. Therefore, it is not rare to see someone who is attending a self-exclusion program at a land-based casino gambling away more money that they cannot afford to lose.

Although it is not their fault (casinos cannot be held responsible for the actions of their customers), casinos across Ontario were getting blamed for not doing enough to prevent problem gamblers from entering their premises. Therefore, they decided that it was time to do something about it, so they decided to install facial recognition technology.

How Does It Work Exactly?

Well, everyone who is in a self-exclusion program will have their photograph added to a database. When they try to enter any land-based casinos across the province, their face will be scanned quickly, and the casino will be informed that a problem gambler has just entered their premises.

This information can then be passed on to the security and they can quickly locate the problem gambler and quietly escort them off of the premises. Most of the time they do not go quietly, but it is for their own good as well as the good of their close family and friends. People often forget that an addicted gambler cannot only ruin their own life but can ruin the lives of all those around them. For instance, if they owe someone a lot of money, they will often ask their family members and friends to help bail them out. Their friends and family members might feel bad to turn them away, so they will stump up the money even though they know that they cannot actually afford it. This will then leave them in financial difficulties and will put a strain on their relationship with the addict.

So, will this technology help those with an addiction? Well, if casinos implement it properly and they make sure that anyone who tries to enter while on a self-exclusion program is escorted from the premises, then we do not see why not. However, all casinos in the area will have to pull their weight. If one casino prevents a problem gambler from entering, but the casino down the road lets them in to spend their money on casino games such as poker, roulette, or slots, then it is safe to say that the whole idea will become nothing more than a gimmick.