FACIAL RECOGNITION – MORE THAN JUST MAKING A MATCH
Recent reforms to harm minimisation for gaming venues in NSW mean that in 2028, it will become mandatory for licensed gaming venues to use facial recognition technology to support self-exclusion and harm minimisation programs. It may seem some time away — but now is the time to start working on it. The time will go by quickly …
And facial recognition may not be as straight-forward as simply recognising a face — in fact, that is just the beginning.
For facial recognition to deliver real value, what happens after a potential match is identified can be just as important as the recognition technology itself.
Exact Technologies CEO Steve van Zwieten says this is why clubs should think about facial recognition as part of a broader operational system rather than as a stand-alone piece of technology.
“The facial recognition engine does an important job—it identifies a potential match. But the real question is how that information gets to the right people, how quickly they can assess it and what happens next.”
Exact Technologies works with multiple proven facial recognition technologies, enabling the underlying recognition engine to be selected and configured to suit the requirements of an individual venue or club group.
Different technologies offer different strengths, including recognition capability, processing performance, scalability and integration with existing camera infrastructure.
But Exact has taken the process a step further by using a centralised management interface that sits above the facial recognition engine.
The interface gives authorised staff a practical way to manage alerts, review events and monitor system performance. For groups operating multiple clubs, it can also provide centralised management across venues — particularly important when a self-excluded person could attend more than one property within the group.
Integration is another important part of the equation.
The system can integrate with BetSafe and other approved third-party databases, reducing duplication in the management of exclusion information. Alerts can also be directed through paging, messaging and other notification systems so the appropriate staff can respond quickly and discreetly.
Facial recognition events can be linked to relevant CCTV footage, allowing operators to move directly to the video surrounding an alert rather than manually searching through hours of recorded footage.
There is also an important human element.
A potential match generated by facial recognition should not automatically become a decision. Authorised staff can review alerts and determine whether they represent genuine matches or false positives. Recording those outcomes also provides information that can be used to monitor and continually improve system performance.
Camera position, lighting, image quality, recognition thresholds and the quality of reference photographs can all influence results. Facial recognition therefore isn’t a “set and forget” technology — it needs to be properly designed, monitored and supported.
Ultimately, effective facial recognition isn’t about finding the best algorithm. It is about bringing together technology, integration and people to create a system that helps clubs achieve their harm-minimisation objectives while maintaining privacy and responsible use.
Exact Technologies works with clubs to bring those elements together—from selecting and integrating the recognition technology through to ongoing system support.
For more information about facial recognition technology, including the centralized management interface, contact Exact Technologies today — their experience in the club industry makes them the ideal first port-of-call for all your security technology needs.
Contact Exact today to arrange your free, no obligation consultation – or click here, submit your details and we’ll contact you.
For more information contact
Steve Van Zwieten
Exact Technologies
Phone: 1 300 253 332
(M/L: 000101630):
