Enhancing security at a major commercial hub, such as a casino, requires careful planning. Millions of dollars are handled as a part of a casino’s day-to-day operations, and thefts of all shapes or sizes are a potentiality. In addition, this is a public setting where anxieties over safety may be prominent, with past incidents of violence in similar settings, i.e. hotels and entertainment venues.
High-quality security is crucial. To keep guests and employees safe, here are some simple measures that can be taken how to improve security at casinos.
Traditional Casino Security Measures
Metal detectors and X-ray machines are inconvenient. They require guests to wait in line, remove their items, and walk through with security personnel to evaluate whether they are a risk based on appearances.
While entrance security is important, you don’t want them interfering with best practices in hospitality. There are more effective ways to monitor casino security than metal detectors or X-ray machines.
CCTV and Security Cameras
The one thing you will find in every casino without fail is lots of security cameras. While these cameras can monitor guest movement, studies have shown they do not always prevent security incidents from occurring. You can still have someone with a hidden gun walking the floor or ill intentions. That said, what the video will show is moving and can be used to trace the path of security threats or better understand incidents after they happen to see what can be improved.
Weapon Detection Technology
The thing about metal detectors is that they only serve to make guests more aware of the security risks and will not necessarily be able to prevent every weapon from making its way inside.
Through more modern weapon detection technology, however, AI sensors can identify hidden guns, knives, and other weapons as guests enter between two pillars. No personal items have to be removed. No pat-down has to occur. The casino security technology does it all for you.
ID Card System for Employees, Contractors, and Third Parties
Regarding employees and non-guests, providing ID cards to personnel allows you to identify and track who is entering the premises. ID cards can be swiped through an ID card system at various entry points, ensuring restricted access to authorized areas and limiting the risk of a customer accidentally or purposefully stumbling into a part of the casino they do not have permission to be in.
AI Facial Recognition
AI security systems offer several benefits, including using facial recognition to identify individuals as they onboard into the room. This strengthens user authentication activity and can be used to track individual movement across the casino floor in combination with cameras.
For facial recognition to work properly, however, taking a high-quality photograph is a must which can be challenging in a low-light casino. This is why they are often present at entrances or areas with better lighting when in use.
Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Security
Uniformed security is there to give the presence of safety, but you won’t want them walking the floor and taking the fun out of being there. Consider the impact non-uniformed security can have. They can move inconspicuously among the crowd and identify and handle security risks quietly without incident.
An emergency response plan can be initiated much faster and sometimes more effectively when you have non-uniformed security on your casino floor.
Trained Staff
With so many high-tech security solutions, we often forget the importance of properly-trained staff, which will often be your best line of defence. If staff know what to look for, they can better identify and report suspicious behaviour as it occurs.
Furthermore, having enough staff is something casinos are being challenged by today, but you need enough staff on the floor to monitor the environment, both hospitality staff and security staff.
Security Guard Deployment Communications
Regardless of how severe a casino security situation is, one must be prepared to deploy their guards to a specific location. This involves having appropriate ways to communicate with guards, ensuring they are properly trained and aware of the casino areas, and knowing where officers are.
Deployment is then based on availability and proximity to a given situation. With an active threat, response time is key.
Casino Security Measures Audit
Lastly, schedule regular audits. Periodic audits of security records will tell you how effective security’s been and give you insight into what other systems can be implemented.
Suppose there is a security technology that could benefit your casino that you do not yet have. In that case, this can also be an effective way to budget for the future and strategize implementation. The rise of AI security systems, automated security, and more statistically-effective security systems are important areas to look at.