The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is bolstering identification requirements at casinos in the province, a move designed to support people enrolled in its Game Break self-exclusion program.

Game Break underwent a rebrand earlier this year, with one of the key changes being the introduction of an active reinstatement process for individuals who choose to return to play, enabling better support for those that feel resuming gambling is right for them.

However, the BCLC has also retained a focus on its key principle – protecting players who have joined the self-exclusion program and are at a potentially vulnerable stage.

The new system will require all individuals entering a BC casino to present government-issued photo identification, which will then be scanned by security staff to automatically check whether the person is in the database of those restricted from setting foot in gambling facilities.

Underpinning the Canadian Crown corporation’s goal of having “the healthiest players in the world”, BCLC says “comprehensive third-party reviews” of its self-exclusion program show that participants believe identification checks at gambling locations will best support their choice by not being able to gain entry.

An official implementation date of the new system will be announced in the coming weeks, while BCLC has emphasised that it will not store any personal information for those who are permitted to enter the casino.