Australia bets on facial recognition for problem gamblers

A trader passes through a facial recognition and temperature checkpoint in Ruili, Yunnan province, China. Clubs and pubs in Australia’s largest state are rolling out AI tech to spot gambling addicts, but critics flag privacy concerns. — Bloomberg

MELBOURNE: As guests arrive at eastern Australia’s Warilla Hotel, a small camera equipped with facial recognition software scans their faces as part of a scheme to tackle problem gambling.

The tech – which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify addicts who have asked to be barred from betting sites – is set to be rolled out across gambling venues in the state of New South Wales next year.