Australian gambling operator Tabcorp is set to equip video surveillance at 400 TAB betting agencies across New South Wales and Victoria with artificial intelligence in a bid to prevent underage gambling at its facilities.
According to reports from local media outlets, the company has recently completed an eight-week trial in three TAB agencies in Melbourne to test software that would be able to identify customers under the age of 18 that might try to sneak into the betting shops and place bets.
Tabcorp has invested an undisclosed amount to enhance video surveillance at its TAB-branded wagering locations with AI. The new software that is yet to be rolled out across the retail wagering network will be able to spot underage gamblers and would inform staff at the betting locations when such underage access gain access to a TAB shop.
Tabcorp Executive General Manager Andy Wright said in a recently released statement that the AI-backed software will be rolled out across TAB agencies from mid-2020.
Mr. Wright pointed out that in the retail sector, bettors have the anonymity of cash “and there’s a heightened level of risk around that.” He went on that it is vital to their business to ensure that they are fully compliant with laws and license obligations and harnessing AI “is one measure that will support that.”
Trial Period
During the eight-week trial period, video cameras on the entrance of the venues scanned the face of every customer. The information collected would then help to analyze facial features that determine the age of a person.
If the AI-powered surveillance spotted a customer that could be aged below 25, a notification was sent to staff along an image of said customer. A sign was placed at the entrance of the TAB venues that participated in the trials to inform patrons about the use of AI surveillance technology.
According to sources, Tabcorp would not use the software at pubs and clubs at TAB locations. In addition, further improvements are set to be made in the months leading up to the rollout of the technology, including upgrades that would make sure betting shop staff receive alerts about potential underage patrons on portable electronic devices such as tablets.
Tabcorp picked Australian machine learning and AI firm Eliiza out of three considered vendors to supply the facial recognition software that was tested during trials. Mr. Wright said in his recent statement that the implementation of the new technology was a “substantial investment” but did not specify how much exactly it cost.
Australia’s Tabcorp is not the only gambling company to have been looking to tap AI in order to track its retail patrons. In Macau, casino operators were found to have been using AI-powered technology to identify its biggest spenders, which could help them improve their financial performance.
However, Macau authorities issued earlier this year a directive that barred casino operators from using facial recognition tools and other digital surveillance equipment without first securing regulatory approval.
Source: Australia’s Tabcorp Holdings introduces artificial intelligence to tackle underage gambling, Industry Global News
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