ENDEAVOUR GROUP SEEKS NATIONAL COORDINATION OF ‘HARM MIN’ TECH
Endeavour Group has called on state and territory governments to coordinate a national approach to using technology – facial recognition or otherwise – to combat problem gambling and money laundering at gaming venues.
The operator of roughly 300 hotels and pubs across Australia faces a range of new technology approaches in pubs in each state and has revealed in a financial filing that it had “now written to state governments to seek a more coordinated and collaborative approach” on facial recognition and other digitally oriented gambling controls.
The different jurisdictions would be able to more effectively use facial recognition technology to minimise harm and prevent financial crime if they shared knowledge and worked from a common national framework, the company said.
“We believe that if someone has chosen to self-exclude, we should use technology available to assist them to do so,” Endeavour Group CEO and managing director Steve Donohue said.
“Facial recognition technology is already in place in South Australia and is slated for introduction in Queensland and NSW.”
Safeguarding biometrics data
In NSW – where more than 100 pubs and clubs have already voluntarily deployed facial recognition technology – regulating the use of the biometric data is the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s responsibility, a spokesperson for Liquor & Gaming NSW told iTnews.
The spokesperson said, “The NSW government has committed to requiring the use of facial recognition technology in hotels and clubs.
“This, along with other gaming-related reforms, will be assessed by [an] independent panel established to oversee the government’s cashless gaming trials.
“It will include consideration of robust privacy and data security protocols, as well as mechanisms to ensure this technology cannot be used to facilitate distribution of marketing or promotional material.”
Read more >>>
