With artificial intelligence now embedded in what seems to be everything--researchers are beginning to question how its speed and precision might influence human behavior.
At UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, director of research Kasra Ghaharian recently co-authored a study examining how unregulated AI systems could exploit vulnerable gamblers—raising concerns about ethical boundaries and the need for oversight in the gaming industry.
“We’re seeing AI applications in casino cameras for example, to help detect money laundering, collusion, and fraud,” Ghaharian said.
“We're also seeing it in back of house operations, from copywriting for websites and marketing materials, to even game designers and developers using it to create new assets for slot machines.”
It’s the possibility to exploit these tools that’s a concern.
“[Developers and casinos] are going to use AI, statistics, and machine learning to augment [their services], but we need to be really careful in terms of where we draw the line,” Ghaharian warned.
“When is it just attracting someone to come to your casino, versus exploiting a vulnerability, because gambling can be potentially addictive, right?”
Ghaharian said while AI and machine learning tools have been used in online gambling for years, land-based casinos are now beginning to adopt them as well.
And with the addition of visual technology, the potential for exploitation grows significantly.
So, what can be done?
Ghaharian said “one school of thought is that existing gambling regulations might be enough to safeguard against AI. Another is that new technology is creating novel cases that aren't adequately covered by existing regulations.”
He suggested to “maybe do a survey, and maybe it’s jurisdiction by jurisdiction, to look at existing regulations and see if there are any gaps in terms of how AI is being used.”
Guests: Kasra Ghaharian, director of research, co-founder of AiR Hub, International Gaming Institute, UNLV
