Pubs Will Roll Out Facial Recognition Tech From 2023
Clubs are convinced the tech helps problem gamblers, but privacy experts aren't so sure.
A plan to help troubled gamblers by introducing face recognition technology across NSW pubs has been blasted by privacy experts and politicians.
The joint proposal by ClubsNSW and The Australian Hotels Association will see venues across the state outfitted with facial recognition tech, ostensibly aimed at identifying and restricting players registered in self-exclusion schemes from gambling.
“Close to 100 clubs are already using this technology and the feedback is that it works,” ClubsNSW chief executive Josh Landis said in a statement.
“Clubs have a demonstrated commitment to protecting their members and patrons from gambling harm and this technology will take the world-leading Multi-Venue Self-Exclusion program to the next level.”
Despite assurances that the technology will have strict privacy safeguards and will restrict venue operators from directly accessing the facial recognition data, anti-gambling advocates and privacy experts have raised fears the policy is “invasive” and “dangerous.”
Program lead at Digital Rights Watch, Samantha Floreani, warned that the technology did not necessarily constitute “meaningful support” for problem gamblers.
“People who opt into self-exclusion programs deserve meaningful support, rather than having punitive surveillance technology imposed upon them. And those who have not opted into these programs ought to be able to go to the pub without having their faces scanned and their privacy undermined,” Floreani told VICE.
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann warned that the policy will only apply to gamblers who apply themselves to self-exclusion lists, and slammed ClubsNSW for not pursuing options like mandated gambling cards which lock patron losses to $100 per day.
“Pokies operators are so scared of a mandatory gambling card that they’ve turned to invasive and inconsistent facial recognition technology instead,” Faehrmann said.
“The NSW Government has lost its mind if it thinks people want pubs and clubs to have self managed facial recognition tech. This is as terrifying as it is absurd.”
“Not only is this a huge invasion of privacy, it’s far less accurate than a mandatory card. It’s also another piece of public data at threat of a potential breach.”
The Australian Hotels Association and ClubsNSW plan to roll out the facial recognition technology in 2023.