Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-01 Daily Xml

Contents

Adelaide Casino

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General, representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs in the other place, a question about facial recognition technology.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Yesterday, I revealed the bombshell by the Chairman of SkyCity Entertainment Group, Julian Cook, that the company will probably make admissions related to allegations Adelaide Casino breached anti-money laundering laws and will likely pay a multimillion dollar fine. If it hasn't already, it should have sent shockwaves throughout the state government, with lawyers scrambling to provide advice on actions and penalties available to the government should the New Zealand-based company make admissions to serious corruption charges and therefore be found unfit to hold a licence.

But there is more. In New Zealand, the company is facing a 10-day suspension of its licence due to failings with its facial recognition technology, a critical part of its host responsibility responsibilities to detect problem gamblers. The government department in charge of regulating SkyCity Entertainment Group's casino licences, the Department of Internal Affairs, launched an investigation following a complaint by a former New Zealand casino customer, presumably a problem gambler, that the facial recognition tool failed. Mr Cook didn't rule out other complaints or suspensions. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the Commissioner for Business and Consumer Affairs, the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner, provide details of the facial recognition technology in operation at the Adelaide Casino?

2. Is the Adelaide Casino using the same facial recognition technology under investigation in SkyCity's three New Zealand casinos?

3. Can the commissioner provide details of any inspections that have been carried out on facial recognition technology used in the Casino and in other gambling venues, and whether the technology has failed to detect problem gamblers and on how many other occasions?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I certainly will refer those to the minister he suggested is responsible for the commissioner and bring back a reply for the honourable member.