Age estimation tech for AWPs?

Contrary to a report earlier this week in the Daily Mail in the UK, there is no need for AWP players to prove that they are over 18 years old before playing, by using facial age-estimation technology.

The newspaper commented that the technology is “now being installed on thousands of betting machines (the newspaper means AWPs-Ed.) in bars, pubs and service stations across the country.”

Currently there is no legal requirement for such technology in the UK, but this is not made clear in the report, which goes on to publish statistics suggesting a failure by staff to prevent under-age gambling.

The Daily Mail congratulates itself on its “victory”, having called for reform of the betting industry and tougher regulation. Technology company Yoti is reported to have developed the software and is quoted as outlining its ability to detect when a player is under the age of 23 with 99.65 accuracy.

In fact, in all UK venues, the minimum age to access machines is set by operators at 18.

The report states that operator Regal Gaming Technologies, with around 15,000 machines in pubs and other locations, has been trialling the technology.