Will facial recognition impact our relationship with our local clubs?

Imagine walking into a club in Wollongong and being gently turned away because of a promise you made to yourself in Byron Bay. This is the reality of gaming in NSW as the State Government launches a landmark guide for the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in pubs and clubs.

The new code sets out minimum expectations for venues that voluntarily operate the technology to combat high-risk gambling and money laundering.

While it currently serves as a guide for early adopters, it also prepares the industry for a future where FRT may be mandated once a statewide exclusion register is fully operational.

The code was developed through input from a broad range of experts, including privacy commissioners, health advocates and technology providers, but it hasn’t completely eased public concern.

Some community members are wondering if NSW venues are sitting on a privacy powderkeg as they prepare to trade biometric data for better gambler protection.

For Danny Munk, CEO of Wests Illawarra, the release of these guidelines was a vital step in understanding the practical implications for patrons and staff.

“We wanted to fully understand how they want the data to be stored, how it’s to be used, and the interaction and expectations on staff when using this technology to provide support to patrons as part of the exclusion programs,” he said.

He believes the guidelines contain a significant amount of common sense regarding data security, noting that while the technology isn’t mandatory yet, largely due to the costs for smaller regional venues, the industry is being encouraged to begin the journey.

“As this technology becomes more available, it will become cheaper and easier to use,” he said.

“The statewide exclusion is very significant. If someone in Byron Bay has asked to be excluded for their own benefit, we want to ensure that if they come to our venue, our staff have the tools to support them.”

This guide is just one piece of a broader reform suite aimed at curbing gambling harm, which includes banning political donations from clubs, slashing machine cash limits by 90 per cent, and mandating daily six-hour shutdowns for gaming rooms.

The shift towards higher accountability was recently recognised at the Regulating the Game Global Awards, where Mr Munk received the Leadership Voice Award and the club’s Strategic Leader of Customer Experience, Dominic Monti, was awarded for Compliance Excellence.

Reflecting on an industry he has been part of since 1975, Mr Munk noted that neither regulators nor clubs expected the level of growth seen over the past few decades.

He said the era of “just providing a machine” was dead, and that the privilege of offering gaming now came with a high-tech mandate for integrity.

“As we’ve matured, we’ve realised that hosting gaming is a privilege that carries a heavy responsibility to our community,” he said.

“The community expects us to be transparent and to evolve, ensuring we’re providing an entertainment product that allows people to have fun while also supporting our members and visitors.

“At the end of the day we want to ensure that whether a guest visits for a meal, a drink, or entertainment, the experience remains a positive one.”

The code can be found at Liquor & Gaming NSW.