British Columbia Casinos to Combat Problem Gambling

The province of British Columbia has recently had a problem with gambling addiction. The issue is not particularly a high rate of problem gamblers; rather, the issue at hand is the government's inactivity when it comes to fighting problem gambling. For years, those addicted to gambling in BC have raised concerns about the government's willingness to help them combat their problem - and now the British Columbia Lottery Corporation is finally stepping up to the plate.

According a CTV news, casinos in British Columbia are going to begin tightening surveillance and imposing stricter penalties on those who choose to be a part of the province's self-exclusion program. Facial recognition software and identification checks will be part of the initiative, which aims to keep problem gamblers out of land-based casinos across the province.

The government's decision to make these chances has been prompted by several lawsuits that have been launched recently. Many problem gamblers claimed to have signed up for the self-exclusion program but were granted entry to BC casinos on multiple occasions. As such, they were able to spend significant amounts of money, putting themselves further into turmoil.
In one case, a self-excluded gambler was granted entry into a BC casino and allowed to spend money. It was only after she won a jackpot in excess of $40 00 that she was reprimanded and her winnings with withheld from her.

To prevent future lawsuits and other similar situations from taking place, this British Columbia Lottery Commission hopes that these new measures will tighten security and hold up its end of the self-exclusion program.