Clubs and pubs ‘camouflage of care for customers’ used to introduce surveillance technology

Wesley Mission is opposed to the use of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) by gambling venues as the little evidence available shows it is an ineffective measure to reduce gambling harm compared to a universal cashless gambling card with harm prevention measures. 

Wesley Mission CEO and gambling reform advocate Rev Stu Cameron questions why Clubs NSW and the AHA are talking about FRT surveillance when there is a much better solution on the table. 

“Two years ago, they were claiming that FRT would send pubs and clubs broke. We suspect this is a diversionary tactic to shift the focus from a mandatory, universal cashless gambling card that would really prevent harm to individuals and the community.

“If ClubsNSW and the AHA NSW were genuine in the motivation to reduce harm, they would have included privacy measures in their announcements.”

“Venues appalling track record of not upholding people’s wishes to self-exclude suggests that they are more interested in using surveillance technology for other purposes such as marketing and incentivising people to spend more time or money gambling than they otherwise would have planned,” Cameron said.