(AsiaGameHub) –   New South Wales (NSW) has pioneered in Australia by greenlighting facial recognition technology for deployment in pubs, clubs, and other adult venues. This decision establishes new protections for gambling operations prior to the implementation of the statewide exclusion system.

This measure will be incorporated into a fresh ‘code of practice’ requested by NSW Premier Chris Minns, supporting the Labor government’s commitment to bolster gambling safeguards by pivoting policy toward harm reduction.

The code of practice establishes the ‘baseline requirements for the industry’ as it aims to implement the key protective measures detailed in NSW’s self-exclusion register—a mechanism for physical gambling venues that blocks excluded individuals from using gaming machines at all licensed locations, eliminating the need for venue operators to intervene.

Deployment will occur in adult venues that currently utilize biometric technology to recognize vulnerable patrons.

The government has emphasized that these new restrictions focus on ‘gambling behavior rather than venue entry’, meaning registered individuals can still enter pubs and clubs but will be prevented from using gaming machines.

NSW Gaming & Racing Minister David Harris has authorized the technical implementations of the Code of Practice under Section 48 of the ‘Gaming Machines Act 2001’.

The code has been crafted to satisfy federal oversight regarding biometric data management, as the government examines NSW systems for personal privacy protection, data retention, and appropriate information usage.

The implementation of facial recognition comes after consultations with all pertinent stakeholders, such as regulators, privacy agencies, public health specialists, and industry delegates.

Premier Chris Pinn highlighted NSW’s goal to ‘bridge a regulatory divide that has existed between Australia’s online and physical gambling regulations’.

State & Federal Controls

Although the national BetStop self-exclusion program, managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), is consistently applied to online betting, enforcing exclusions at physical venues has depended on individual establishments monitoring and taking action on a case-by-case basis.

The new framework, however, aims to establish a centralized, technology-driven system that can uniformly enforce exclusions throughout the state’s vast network of pubs and clubs.

The mandated safeguards will include compulsory downtime for gaming machines from 4am to 10am, plus a lowered cash deposit cap from AU$5,000 to AU$500 (€300) for all new gaming machines.

The NSW government has affirmed that it will maintain its evidence-based approach to implementing land-based gambling regulations.

David Harris, Minister for Gaming, stated: “The Minns Labor Government is committed to minimizing gambling-related harm. While the Coalition failed to act during their 12 years in power, we are actively collaborating with the industry to create new and innovative ways to reduce harm to patrons.

“We will keep implementing evidence-driven reforms to maintain the right balance between tackling gambling harm and supporting an industry that generates billions for the NSW economy and provides employment for over 150,000 individuals.”