Starting this Monday, B.C. casinos are set to enforce enhanced identification requirements in order to support people enrolled in the province’s Game Break self-exclusion program.
B.C. casinos will require that every individual present government-issued photo identification for entry. IDs will be scanned by security staff and automatically checked against the database of people restricted from entering gambling facilities in the province, like those people enrolled in Game Break. According to a statement from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, personal information for those permitted to enter the casino is not saved.
“Since announcing last month that these changes were coming, BCLC has been working to build awareness with our players about the new entry requirements and why they matter in helping us to support individuals who have asked for our help,” said Pat Davis, BCLC’s president and CEO.
“We believe that B.C. is the first jurisdiction in North America to require ID at the casino door, an example of BCLC’s continued work toward our ambition of having the healthiest players in the world.”
Game Break is BCLC’s program available to those taking a break from gambling activities. It’s voluntary and confidential and participants can choose the length of their break – six months, one year, two years, and three years. Once registered for Game Break, the self-exclusion period starts right away for the time period chosen and cannot be changed.
During that period, BCLC closes existing PlayNow accounts. Encore Rewards account are deactivated and any points may be eligible to be redeemed for cash. BCLC and its gambling facility operators don’t send direct marketing materials to enrollees. And their personal information and photos are passed to security officers at applicable gambling facilities.
In the end, the program is for people who feel like they’re losing control, with gambling putting a stress on finances, relationships, and health.
A self-exclusion program is coming soon to the Ontario market as well, as announced during last week’s Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto.
