The New South Wales government has launched a code of practice governing the use of facial recognition technology in pubs and clubs with gaming machines, establishing minimum expectations for venues that voluntarily operate the technology and laying the groundwork for future mandatory requirements.
The code was approved under section 48 of the Gaming Machines Act 2001, which authorizes the NSW government to issue codes of practice setting standards for the industry. Its development involved consultation with gambling and health experts, the NSW Privacy Commissioner, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), industry stakeholders, and facial recognition service providers. The OAIC’s involvement reflects the sensitivity of biometric data collected in gaming environments and the need to align any deployment with Australia’s Privacy Act. The Commissioner’s guidance shaped the code’s requirements around data retention, access controls, and the handling of biometric templates after a match is made.
The code is designed to prepare the industry for upcoming changes to gaming legislation that will mandate facial recognition in venues once a statewide self-exclusion register is operational. The technology aims to minimize gambling harm and prevent money laundering by enforcing exclusions across NSW hotels and clubs.
Several venues in Sydney have already been using facial recognition to identify and block self-excluded gamblers from entering gaming areas, providing a practical basis for the code’s guidance on real-world deployment. The code gives those venues a clearer compliance framework while establishing a baseline for the wider rollout. Venues currently using facial recognition must ensure their existing systems and practices align with the new requirements.
Given the sensitivity of biometric data, the code provides detailed guidance on data handling, retention periods, access controls, and privacy requirements. Venues using facial recognition are expected to document their data governance practices and be able to demonstrate compliance on request.
Alongside the code, the government announced it has revoked more than 650 gaming machine exemptions that had previously allowed pubs and clubs to operate machines during standard shutdown hours. The revocations form part of a broader evidence-based approach to reducing gambling harm in NSW. New South Wales joins a growing number of jurisdictions using biometric tools in gambling regulation, a trend that includes mandates seen in markets like Ghana.
The code is available on the Liquor and Gaming NSW website.
Sources: NSW Government, Gaming Intelligence
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
