Canadian casinos require you to show ID upon entry
Beginning June 26, there will be some disruption for some people visiting certain casinos in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) announced Thursday that it will begin checking the IDs of all visitors before allowing them into gaming floors.
The new initiative comes as no surprise when BCLC announced the plan just over a month ago. The aim is to strengthen responsible gambling efforts across the province.
Carrying identification into a British Columbia casino, or almost any casino in a regulated jurisdiction, is not a new concept. Almost everywhere requires claiming a bonus or confirming age. However, using a responsible gambling ID card is a relatively new idea.
No ID, no service
BCLC operates the program in accordance with the Responsible Gambling Guidelines. While some locations are testing facial recognition to meet guidelines, government-run gaming operators are taking a manual route.
Patrons must present government-issued identification to security personnel when attempting to enter the casino. This data is compared to a database containing information about people who are not allowed into the casino. This includes scanning for the local self-exclusion program Game Break.
Since announcing these changes last month, BCLC has been working to increase player awareness of the new onboarding requirements and explain why these requirements are important to help us support individuals seeking help, BCLC CEO Pat Davey Pat Davis said.
If the name is found on the list, that person cannot participate. BCLC ensures that no data scanned in by the casino is stored.
Davis, who became BCLC CEO last August, said this may be the first time a North American jurisdiction — whether a state, province, city or otherwise — has implemented mandatory ID verification. He emphasized that this reflects BCLC's goal of "having the healthiest players in the world."
Gamebreak participants reportedly support the new plan. The BCLC said in March that many people supported identity checks as a way to comply with self-exclusion decisions.
Clean up BC Gaming
The BCLC has barriers to regulating gambling in the province and oversees 36 full-service casinos and gaming centers from various operators. It is also responsible for the provincial lottery.
The company also controls sports betting and online gambling. Online gambling and sports betting, as well as the purchase of lottery tickets, can only be done legally through the PlayNow.com website.
With so much control and little competition, BCLC has faced many problems in the past. The most high-profile was the River Rock Casino money laundering scandal.
The saga involves local casinos and the highest levels of government. The government-led Cullen Commission inquiry detailed the extent of the problem, but no politicians have been charged.
The Cullen Commission helped introduce a series of reforms to British Columbia's gambling industry, including a greater focus on anti-money laundering (AML) procedures. The investigation found that anti-money laundering was standard procedure at many casinos from at least 2010 to 2016.
Davis and other new leaders arrived to reshape BCLC. The introduction of new ID controls is part of the same initiative.
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Source: www.casino.org
