OLG introduces hi-tech problem gambler defense

Just like a zebra can’t change it’s stripes and leopard can’t change it’s spots, for the most part, exluding some of the plastic people in Hollywood and the late MJ, people can’t change their faces. How much can you tell about a person from their face?

Apparently, it’s more than just judging a book by its cover… In Taiwan they’ve already developed a vending machine that recommends purchases based on people’s faces and now the OLG is planning to use people’s faces to their advantage to bolster their security against problem gamblers.

The OLG has made plans to implement facial recognition security at all 27 of its gambling venues in the Canadian province of Ontario. Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s privacy commissioner, who approved the new system, was quoted in TheStar as saying “It’s the most privacy-protected system using biometric encryption in the world.”

So, starting in May, anyone red-blooded human being that enters an Ontario casino will be subject to having their face digitally scanned. The image will then be referenced through a database of the thousands of problem gamblers that put themselves on the banned the list and if a match is found, security is notified.

This new technology certainly gives OLG the upper-hand in the battle against problem gamblers, and it’s considerably more adequate than the old system in place where problem gamblers could slip through the cracks, and then of course, blame the OLG for letting them do so.

The system keys on facial bone structure and verifies specific points on the face for recognition. And the system is also sending a message to the OLG critics that they are willing to forgoe that significant sum of revenue gleaned from problem gamblers. It’s a big step forward, and undoubtedly it won’t be long before other jurisdictions implement this technology.

Pretty soon they’ll have this in airports along with the cancer causing scanners.