Rideau Carleton Raceway's slot machines are now equipped with facial recognition technology, as part of a bid to help addicts bar themselves from gaming facilities.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation installed the technology at the complex two weeks ago, as they have also done at about two-thirds of the slots and casinos across the province.

The technology relies on a method of 'self-exclusion,' whereby compulsive gamblers volunteer in advance to have their photos banked in the system's database, in case they ever get the urge to try their luck at a casino again.

If that person returns in the future and the facial-recognition software detects them, security will be dispatched to ask the gambler to leave.

One system Jonas developed for casinos more than a decade ago uses facial recognition technology to quickly compare suspected cheaters with mug shots and uncover fake identities. But for all the.

15,000 gamblers signed up

Already, about 15,000 gamblers across Ontario have signed up to restrict themselves from playing at slots or casinos, according to the OLG. Roughly 100 had signed up at Rideau Carleton Raceway to restrict their gambling before the introduction of the new software.

Do Slot Machines Have Facial Recognition Software

While video cameras at the entrance will scan all customers, OLG said there is no danger of misuse of that information.

Tony Bitonti, a spokesperson for the OLG, said the majority of those playing slots need not worry about having their photos stored anywhere.

'If you're not on the self-excluded database, your picture is automatically discarded,' Bitonti said. 'OLG is not keeping pictures for any other type of database or anything like that. Facial recognition is there to act as a deterrent to those who are on our self-included list.'

Privacy concerns

Dallas Smith, who counsels compulsive gamblers with the Centretown Community Health Centre, said the deterrent technology has some advantages as well as drawbacks.

Privacy is one issue.

'Who will be able to see that list?' Smith asked. 'And if someone they know works at OLG, will [the staff member] be able to go on the list and know [the client] has a problem with gambling?'

Even so, Smith agreed the facial-recognition system was a 'more fool-proof' gambling deterrent for those who are serious about keeping themselves in check.

Bitonti said the software should catch more people who shouldn't be in casinos, and added that the OLG worked with Ontario's privacy commissioner to address privacy concerns before rolling out the new system.

No other segment of the gaming industry has benefited more from the technology revolution than the slot machine. Once considered the ugly stepdaughter placed on the gaming floor to appease the spouses of table players, the slot machine has been transformed into the fairy princess of the gaming world. With her, she has brought a dowry of riches no one would have imagined for the casino and a few lucky players as well. Over twenty years ago the slot machine accounted for 30 percent of the casinos' profits. Today it accounts for about 70 percent. Computer technology and the ability to play with little to no gambling knowledge makes it possible to offer life-changing jackpots big enough to turn a pauper into a king.

However, the fact that it doesn't take much gambling knowledge to play means that most people don't understand the inner working of the slots -- which makes it easy to explain a loss or a win with some false logic. Like any other 'wives tales' these are passed from person to person until they become gospel. Most of these myths and misconceptions are harmless but they can add to your frustration and take away some of the enjoyment of your casino visit. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular myths and the truth behind them.

Myth #1

Someone hit a jackpot on the machine you just left -- so you would have won that jackpot if you kept playing.
This is probably one of the most common notions about slot machine gambling -- but it's patently false. The slot machines have a computer chip inside that runs the Random Number Generator (RNG). The RNG is continuously cycling through numbers even when the machine is not being played. These numbers correspond to the stops on the wheel that display the winning or losing symbols that you see when the reels stop. When you hit the spin button or pull the handle, the RNG picks the combination at that given microsecond. If you had stayed at the machine, it is highly unlikely that you would have stopped the RNG at the exact nano-second to display that same combination of numbers. In the time it takes to talk with a friend or sip your drink the RNG has cycled through thousands of combinations.

Myth #2

Do Slot Machines Have Facial Recognition Work

You can tell the odds of winning by counting the symbols on each wheel.
Actually, you can't. The RNG generates a number for each spin. There can be hundreds of virtual stops on each wheel even though you only see a few symbols. For example, you may see 20 symbols on each wheel of a three-reel machine. You figure 20 x 20 x 20 = 8,000 combinations and your chance of hitting the jackpot is 1 in 8000. In reality, the computer chip may program 256 stops for each wheel which makes the odds 256 x 256 x 256 =16,777,216 combinations. Being able to generate millions of combinations is the reason that slots can offer large paybacks.

Myth #3

Do Slot Machines Have Facial Recognition Device

Casinos can loosen or tighten the slot machines with the flip of a switch.
In actuality, the slot machines have a computer chip in them that determines the payback percentage. These are preset at the factory. In order for a casino to change the payback, they would have to change the chip. In most jurisdictions, there is paperwork that has to be filled and submitted to the Casino Control Commission for each machine if the chip is changed. It's time-consuming and the chips are very expensive. For this reason, it is more economical to decide on the payback percentages before purchasing the machines and having the factory ship them with the proper chip.

Do Slot Machines Have Facial Recognition Machines

Myth #4

A machine that has not been paying out is due to hit.
There is no way to determine if a machine is due to hit. Each spin is a random occurrence and has no bearing on what has happened previously. Don't ever play more than you should because of this misconception -- it will be devastating to your bankroll if you do.

Myth #5

The temperature of the coins played will affect the way a machine pays.
Unfortunately, the machine is not affected by temperature. It doesn't matter if you play hot, cold, old or new coins. The coin slot is a mechanical device and has no feeling.

Myth #6

If you use your slot club card the machine will pay back less.
This may well be the most damaging myth of them all. There is no link between the card reader and the RNG, but by not using your player's card you are denying yourself valuable comps and sometimes cash back from the casino.