Konami Loyalty Program Uses Face Recognition Instead of Physical Cards

Konami Gaming will be showcasing its latest facial recognition tech when it heads to the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas later this month. Specifically, the company will be running demos of the SYNKROS casino management system, which combines the company’s SYNK Vision face tech with the SynkConnect mobile app.

SYNKROS is essentially a loyalty platform that allows casinos to track player progress without the need for a physical loyalty card. The technology can recognize players and figure out how much they’re playing, and then offer rewards based on that information.

“Rather than requiring players to manually sign up or use a player’s tracking card, [SYNKROS] uses facial recognition to identify, rate, and reward all players, regardless of whether they are members of the established player loyalty program,” said Konami Executive VP and Chief Commercial Officer Tom Jingoli. “SYNK Vision allows operators to automatically capture a 360-degree view of all ‘carded’ and ‘uncarded’ play activity for the first time.”

Konami is one of several gaming companies working to leverage facial recognition to improve the gambling experience, although many of the systems currently in place are designed for player safety rather than loyalty. For instance, the Japanese government is hoping to use facial recognition to identify problem gamblers and curb addiction, while online platforms like Novibet and Casumo have used facial recognition to verify the ages of their customers and ensure compliance with gaming regulations.

To that end, Konami will be debuting its new SYNK31 Anti-Money Laundering (AML) system at G2E. The SYNK31 system will allow administrators to fulfill their AML obligations in real time to simplify casino security.

The former video game titan will also be demoing a slew of new gaming cabinets, including video slot machines featuring its extensive library of video game IP. The new Silent Hill machine will probably induce cringes from fans of the beloved survival horror franchise, but Konami won’t lose too much sleep as long as it proves to be popular in casinos.

G2E runs from October 15-17 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center. Konami’s goods will be on display at booth #1256.

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October 8, 2019 – by Eric Weiss