Macau casinos test facial recognition

The gaming regulator in Macau confirmed three casinos are already testing facial recognition systems inside their venues.

Macau.- As technology advances, the gaming industry continues to take advantage of new systems and gadgets to improve itself. That’s why some Macau casinos are already testing facial recognition systems inside their venues.

According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), some operators are already partially installing systems within their premises. 

“Currently, two or three casinos are testing,” DICJ director Paulo Martins Chan. “During their operations, they have to strictly obey the personal data protection law,” he added.

“I think it will take time for the parties involved to comprehend the personal data protection law. If possible, at the preliminary stage, [the system] will be used on a small scale in a few places. Then we will be able to see how the laws can oversee the use of the equipment.”

According to Chan, Macau casinos facial recognition systems will only be used for security purposes.

Industry forecasts

Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd issued a new note after the first two weeks of July, in which the brokerage details that gross gaming revenue (GGR) in Macau casinos totalled approximately €1.2 billion.

According to Bernstein’s note, about €90.7 million were registered every day on average. It said that the rate was 3% higher than the one in June, but almost the same as July 2018. It also added that the VIP and mass markets are estimated to be down: “VIP volume is estimated to be down mid-single digits month-on-month, with [the] hold rate towards the lower end of the normalised range. Mass GGR is likely to be up mid-single digits per cent month-on-month.”Based on the estimate for the first two weeks, Sanford C. Bernstein said forecasts that GGR in Macau in July will be between 8% and 11% higher than June. Year-on-year the numbers are between 2% and 4%.