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NSW Gaming Venues to Install Facial Recognition Technology to Help Identify Self-excluded Gamblers
Problem gamblers will have their faces scanned using facial recognition technology to help them stay away from gaming venues in New South Wales.
Cameras will be rolled out in pubs and clubs across the state from 2023 to help identify gamblers who have opted in to the state’s Multi-Venue Self-Exclusion scheme.
The scheme already uses digital images to identify problem gamblers and ban them from entering gaming venues.
Gamblers who have joined the self-exclusion scheme have supplied their own image – and have given their full consent to the image being stored.
Director of liquor and policing for Australian Hotels Association [AHA] NSW, John Green, said the addition of facial recognition technology would improve identification.
“People can change over time and using facial recognition technology just makes sure we’ve got the best chance of identifying those people as they enter,” he said.
“We’ve tested how it operates and quite frankly it can identify people wearing masks, wearing glasses and trying to avoid detection.”
Cameras will scan patrons’ faces as they enter a venue and compare their faces to a database of problem gamblers who have consented to be part of the self-exclusion scheme.
If a problem gambler is identified, an alert is sent to venue staff who can then intervene and refer the person to support services.
ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis said the technology would only identify problem gamblers and would not impact other patrons.
“This is designed in a targeted way to help those who have a problem — not to impact anybody else,” he said.
“We believe it’s critical to support those people that have a problem in a targeted way where ordinary people are not affected.
“They can enjoy their pub or club the way that they ordinarily would — but the people who have a problem are genuinely looked after to ensure they get the help that they need.”
The technology is a joint venture between ClubsNSW and the AHA and will eventually be rolled out across the state.
It is already being used in around 100 venues across NSW and follows a similar scheme in South Australia where it is used in 300 venues.
Mr Green said a survey of self-excluded gamblers found 85% supported the use of facial recognition.
“It really is effective at identifying those people who want to be excluded and want our help,” he said.
“This is about improving the process that we’ve already got in place, but using the latest technology, to ensure that we are doing as much as we can to get them the treatment they need.”
NSW Gaming Minister Kevin Anderson said the initiative would help people stay in control of their gambling addiction.
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Eagerly anticipated release now confirmed following a highly successful exclusivity period with Rush Street Interactive
Play’n GO has today announced the official US release of its hit title Colt Lightning Firestorm, following a three-week period of exclusivity with Rush Street Interactive brands BetRivers and SugarHouse.
Colt Lightning Firestorm was released in Europe and other jurisdictions in May 2024, and its release in the US comes with much fanfare following the game’s rave reviews in its short exclusivity period. The game is a sequel to the wildly popular Colt Lightning game which was released early last year, and indications at this stage suggest that this sequel may prove even more successful.
This announcement sees Colt Lightning Firestorm available to players in each state and operator with whom Play’n GO is licensed. Play’n GO first entered the online casino market in the US in 2022, and has reiterated its commitment to becoming active in every regulated market around the world.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO said: “We’re excited to unveil Colt Lightning Firestorm to the wider online casino gaming community in the US, and have been very pleased to see its strong performance during its exclusivity period with Rush Street Interactive. We had high hopes for the game following the success of its predecessor, and we’re confident that these robust results will continue now that the game is available to an even bigger audience.”
Esports entertainment company BLAST has announced plans to host two popular esports events in Singapore in 2024 and 2025.
BLAST will bring both world-class Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournaments to the heart of Southeast Asia, marking a major step in Singapore’s emergence as an esports and gaming hub. Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), these high-profile events will bring the world’s best esports teams and players from all across the world to compete in Singapore.
BLAST has teamed up with AEG Presents Asia, one of the world’s largest live entertainment entities to bring these events to Singapore. The partnership forms part of BLAST’s ambition to create the best esports experiences by working closely with premier destinations and the biggest and best live entertainment partners.
More than half of global esports views (57%) are estimated to come from the Asia Pacific region, 47% more than any other region in the world with the global market valued at $1.6 billion.
By bringing the top-tier Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournaments to Singapore, BLAST aims
to attract global esports talent, foster local growth, and elevate Singapore’s status as a destination for world-class esports entertainment.
James Woollard, Director of Market Development at BLAST, said: “We are incredibly excited to bring two of the biggest esports titles to this vibrant destination. Over the coming 18 months, Singapore will become a major hub for esports in Southeast Asia, and with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board, we look forward to delivering unforgettable experiences for fans while helping to build a thriving esports ecosystem in the region. Bringing the first BLAST arena event to Singapore is an exciting first step in this journey. The World Final will see the world’s best Counter-Strike players and teams fighting for a $1,000,000 total prize pool.”
Ms Ong Ling Lee, Executive Director, Sports and Wellness, Singapore Tourism Board, said, “We are excited to host the BLAST Premier World Final and the BLAST Dota Slam in Singapore. The Counter-Strike event marks the first BLAST-branded event in Southeast Asia and the inaugural Counter-Strike tournament series in the region, solidifying Singapore’s position as a world-class esports destination. We are confident that the international participants and their legions of fans will have a memorable experience in Singapore, immersing themselves in the diverse and dynamic offerings of our city.”
The World Final 2024 will take place from 30th October – 3rd November and will be the first BLAST event to take place in Singapore, followed by the BLAST Dota Slam in 2025. The World Final will be the biggest Counter-Strike event to take place in Singapore, where the world’s best eight Counter-Strike teams will compete for a massive prize pool of $1,000,000 and the chance to claim bragging rights as the best team around.
Qualified World Final teams: NAVI, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, FaZe Clan and G2 Esports.
Fans can sign-up for the pre-sale window by registering with BLAST.tv, where they will also receive updates and information on tickets.
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