STRATEGIC PARTNERS
January 13, 2000
SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Global Cash Access, a provider of cash access, financial management and customer relationship marketing technologies to the gaming industry, will use facial recognition technology in its new Automated Cashier Machine (ACM). The ACM is a virtual financial center with the ability to perform all ATM functions, in addition to check cashing, wire transfer processing and other financial services, without the intervention of a cashier. GCA says its proprietary financial center integrates ATM, credit card cash advance, check-cashing, POS debit, Western Union, patron credit markers and one-to-one marketing opportunities. Diebold is providing the hardware for the ACM, which was demonstrated at the World Gaming Congress in Las Vegas in September 1999. Infonox, a Silicon Valley Internet company, produces the software that drives the machine. Infonox president and CEO Safwan Shah said, "There is a need to provide consumers with the increased level of security and convenience offered by biometrics technology. Facial recognition is the one of the most practical biometrics available because it is reliable and non-intrusive." GCA and Infonox selected Littleton, Mass-based Viisage Technology's facial biometrics recognition, which uses digital images to identify users in the system with an accuracy rate of 99.9 percent. Once the user has been authenticated, the machine can meet all transaction needs without cashier intervention. Viisage's technology is used at more than 1,500 locations in 13 states. Global Cash Access was formed in 1998 through a joint venture of Bank of America, First Data Corp. and USA Processing, Inc. The company uses Internet technologies to deliver funds transfer, financial management and customer relationship marketing services to more than 1,200 gaming properties nationwide.
