People entering casinos starting Monday (June 26) will be required to show photo identification upon entry to help support people enrolled in its self-exclusion program.
B.C. casinos will now require everyone to show government-issued photo ID to enter, which will be scanned by security staff and automatically checked against the database of people restricted from entering gambling facilities. The BC Lottery Corporation says the system doesn’t save any personal information for those who are permitted into the casino.
CEO Pat Davis said BCLC believes it’s the first jurisdiction in North America to require ID at the casino door, “an example of BCLC’s continued work towards our ambition of having the healthiest players in the world.”
He added the lottery corporation has been working to build awareness with players about the new entry requirements and “why they matter in helping us to support individuals who have asked for our help.”
READ MORE: B.C. casinos will require all to show government ID under self-exclusion program
BCLC first announced the “enhanced” requirements in May as a move to “support people enrolled in its Game Break self-exclusion program.”
Game Break is BCLC’s “voluntary and confidential program offering individuals the opportunity to take a break from gambling for a chosen period of time.” People can enroll in the program for a six-month, one-year, two-year or three-year term.
When they complete the program, they then need to complete an online course that helps to decide if a return to gambling is the right course.
BCLC says that “comprehensive third-party reviews” shows that people enrolled in Game Break “believe identification checks at gambling facilities are the best way to support their choice as they prevent them from gaining entry.
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