New South Wales has set a 2028 deadline for mandatory facial recognition across gaming venues. The system will cover around 2,100 pubs and clubs operating roughly 87,000 poker machines.
The decision was published Tuesday as part of the state's gambling reform package. Cameras will be installed at gaming-floor entrances and alert staff when a person on the self-exclusion register attempts to enter. The technology replaces the current venue-by-venue scheme. Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said that under the existing system a player who self-excludes from one venue can simply walk into another nearby.
The register will operate statewide. Third parties, including family members, may apply to have someone excluded, though the player retains the right to appeal. In March, Liquor & Gaming NSW introduced a voluntary biometric code to prepare operators for the rollout. The code sets standards for data handling, security and staff procedures.
Authorities are also upgrading the centralised monitoring system to support account-based play. Operators will decide whether to offer the format; cash play remains available. Other measures include a ban on VIP programmes tied to poker machines, restrictions on direct marketing, and a prohibition on gambling advertising on state and council assets.
