Vegas Casinos & Facial Recognition (What It’s Used For)
Artificial intelligence (AI) was first introduced to casinos in 2018 and was used to keep track of people the casino deemed problematic.
However, facial recognition can also help casinos improve customer experience, provide better services, and earn greater profits. But does that mean all casinos in Vegas use facial recognition?
Not all Las Vegas casinos have facial recognition yet, but they are beginning to integrate this technology into their business. Most casinos on the Strip use facial recognition to some extent when dealing with customers.
In this article, I’ll go over why more Vegas casinos are turning towards facial recognition technology, how it can help both the casinos and their guests, and the possible implications of integrating such technology.
Why Vegas Casinos Are Using Facial Recognition
When most people hear facial recognition, they think of this technology as a form of security to help catch bad guys. These people aren’t far off the mark because facial recognition was introduced to pick up the faces of undesirable or troublesome people entering casinos.
Some regular Vegas gamblers are known for having too many drinks and stirring up a ruckus. They’re unpleasant to be around and can be stressful to the other guests. Some may even get violent, putting those around them in obvious danger.
It’s a casino’s job to ensure its guests feel safe and secure within the gaming arena. Facial recognition technology helps them identify troublesome individuals like the ones described above and stops them from entering the casino.
Some customers also try to cheat the house or steal things inside the casino, and facial recognition can help the casino stop these activities by catching known cheats.
Have you ever heard of the Las Vegas black book? It’s been around for decades and is essentially a list of ‘known individuals that have been permanently banned from a specific casino or, in many cases, all casinos in Las Vegas or the state of Nevada.
Facial recognition can be used to accomplish the same thing, only much more accurately and efficiently.
As such, facial recognition can help casinos protect their business and keep customers safe from dangerous or unpredictable customers. However, today, facial recognition can help casinos go beyond security, help them improve their services, and provide customers with a more wholesome experience. Let’s look at how.
Personalized Services For Las Vegas Casino Guests Through Facial Recognition
Many casinos have a virtual concierge service that customers can approach and ask questions. The concierge is typically limited to general questions about the casino and Vegas. However, with facial recognition, the concierge can instantly identify an individual and draw up data on the kind of games the individual enjoys, their favorite times to play, and what food they like to eat.
With this data, the concierge can create a more personalized experience for the customer and help them generate a casino schedule that best suits their requirements.
Slot machines can also have facial recognition technology and greet customers by name when they turn up to play. This technology also suggests to customers the kind of slot games they enjoy most, helping to improve their time at the casino.
And while this may not seem like much, making a customer feel special and like something is personally tailored for them can go a long way in helping a casino maximize its profits.
Facial Recognition Offers An Enhanced Vegas Casino Customer Experience
As mentioned in the previous section, casinos can use facial recognition technology to enhance customer experience from the moment they enter the building. Of course, while casinos provide services to every customer, their primary focus is on their high-value or VIP customers who bring them the most profit.
In most instances, facial recognition technology picks up when a high-value customer has entered the casino or hotel and alerts the staff. Using these notifications, the staff members can discuss how best to serve this customer and see to their needs.
For example, if the casino knows that a particular customer likes a beverage, they may have it sent to their room even before the customer orders it. In some cases, they may recognize customers who prefer a certain kind of stay or room at the hotel, and the advance notice can help them plan and set up the rooms before the customer even makes a request.
These little acts create a superior customer experience for a Las Vegas casino’s VIP guests. And if a high roller enjoys a particular casino, they’re sure to return to it repeatedly, increasing the profits made by the casino.
Additionally, highly prized customers are constantly monitored so the casino staff can provide services whenever required. The casino can learn about the games they play most and the rooms they spend the most time in and use this info to make these spaces cozier.
Concerns About Using Facial Recognition in Vegas Casinos
When it comes to tracking and managing customer data, the ethics of such a practice is called into question. Is it safe to allow casinos to identify customers and tailor their services accordingly?
Most Vegas casinos only use facial recognition to enhance customer experience and protect the casino from the fraudulent practices of specific customers. This technology also helps keep out dangerous or troublesome individuals and immediately helps identify those who are banned from casinos so they can be stopped from entering.
But what if a Las Vegas casino was to use this technology to learn about customer habits and subtly influence our behavior in the casino?
While things may eventually reach this point, it’s crucial to know that casinos are primarily centers for gambling. Everything the casino does is designed to motivate you to stay longer in the casino and spend more money on their games. The addition of facial recognition won’t change these motives by much.
If you’re entering a casino, prepare to be influenced by unseen forces. And while facial recognition may give casinos in Las Vegas an added advantage, it won’t change much, considering they’re already designed to influence you in specific ways.
Instead, this technology can seamlessly integrate with the casino experience and make gambling a more enjoyable and personal experience for the customers. So while casinos may profit from it, customers also get to enjoy a more tailored experience while at the casino.
Have you ever thought about why Vegas has so many casinos? I’ve discussed the reason in another article. Don’t miss it if you’re curious.
Final Thoughts
Most casinos in Vegas have already adopted a certain level of facial recognition technology and integrated it with their systems. The main aim of this technology is to improve customer experience and make the casino a safe space for people to enjoy.
And while there are concerns regarding anonymity and personal information, most casino technology only recognizes faces. It isn’t designed to remember names, IDs, or anything that may compromise a customer’s privacy.
