Mandatory facial recognition tech and a ban on VIP gaming programs among new poker machine reforms targeting NSW pubs and clubs
New South Wales is introducing reforms to poker machine regulations at pubs and clubs, including mandatory facial recognition technology and a ban on VIP gaming programs. The measures are aimed at curbing problem gambling in the state.
Why this matters: Mandatory facial recognition in pubs and clubs means your face gets scanned just for walking into a venue that has poker machines. That is a lot of biometric data collected about ordinary people, most of whom are not problem gamblers. The stated goal is harm reduction, and that is a real concern. But building a surveillance infrastructure into everyday social spaces comes with its own costs. Who stores that data, for how long, and who else can access it are questions that tend to get answered quietly, long after the cameras are already installed.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity · General readers · Policy
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