Problem gamblers who sign ‘self-exclusion’ forms at land-based casinos often renege on their pledge and try to sneak in undetected. These are often the same gamblers who then sue casinos for not doing enough to prevent them from going back on their word.
As a hedge against accusations that they’re not paying enough attention to who comes through their doors, some casinos in British Columbia have installed license-plate recognition technology to vet the cars that park in their lots. The problem with BCLC’s willingness to spend taxpayer dollars in this manner is that the system can only be used at facilities with dedicated parking lots. It would also not catch gamblers who borrow someone else’s vehicle or take a taxi.
But seriously, how much more responsibility can a gaming facility take on? What’s next – fingerprints? Iris recognition technology? Implanting a microchip under the problem gambler’s skin that sets off an alarm once they cross a casino threshold? We say, if these gamblers really are serious about self-excluding, put a tiny charge of TNT in their heads, then when they step over the casino’s threshold, their heads could explode like that scene out of Scanners. Blowed up real good…
