Does My Venue Need An
ID Scanner?

Managing a bar or club involves significant responsibilities. Venue managers often explore various options to ensure smooth and secure operations. If you’re contemplating the use of an ID scanner for your location, this article provides insights into its functions, helping you determine if it’s a fitting solution for your venue’s needs.

What ID scanners do?

One of the reasons ID scanners are so popular is their ability to perform a large range of tasks. They act as a powerful tool to help you manage your bar, club, pub, or event. Though ID scanners are primarily known for keeping underage customers out of your venue, they also provide other benefits.

Violence Drops With ID Scanners

In 2014, NSW mandated ID scanners in Kings Cross to curb alcohol-related violence. A year later, results showed a 32% drop in assaults. Even if not high-risk, ID scanners act as a deterrent, signaling data recording and promoting safer venues.

ID Scanners Reduce Theft & Fraud

ID scanners keep patrons in line. In just over a year, they’ve helped cut theft by more than 70 per cent in King’s Cross. In addition to preventing crime and vandalism, id scanners reduce fraud.

One of the most common uses for ID scanners is recognizing fake IDs. There are some highly-realistic fake IDs in circulation these days, so it’s crucial that you and your team recognise these false documents before their users enter your venue. You should also be wary of ID fraud, including multiple patrons using the same ID or patrons using a real ID that doesn’t belong to them.

ID scanners help you and your security staff recognise ID fraud by detecting false IDs, alerting you of probable ID misuse, and providing you with questions to ask ID holders if you suspect fraud.

Police and security transparency is increased by ID scanners.

A key benefit of ID scanners is their ability to capture and store photographs of everyone who enters your venue on any given day or night. These photos, along with information stored from patrons’ IDs, are very useful in the occurrence of violence or conflict.

Venues can work together with police to identify and track troublemakers, and then take necessary action to arrest or ticket these patrons. ID scanning systems give you the power to ban these problem causers. Advanced ID scanners like Scantek also give you access to other venue’s banned lists, through a networked banned patrons list. Patron privacy is protected, as information on ban lists can only be accessed by designated security staff.

Kings Cross venues have already seen the value of the ID scanners in identifying suspects. Police Commander and Superintendent Michael Fitzgerald says ID scanners have “allowed police to quickly identify and track down people who commit crimes within Kings Cross’ pubs and clubs, and proven immensely effective in helping police enforce banning orders.”

In addition to these benefits, scanners reduce pressure on your venue and event security staff, reducing the risks these staff members face when belligerent patrons are in your venue.

pressure on venue security, minimizing risks for staff dealing with disruptive patrons, enhancing overall safety.

ID Scanners Ban Troublemakers From Entering Your Venue In The Future

When patrons cause trouble in your venue, you can ban them from entering for a period of time you select.
If patrons try to enter your venue during their ban period, your security staff will be alerted, ensuring that patrons are denied entry.
Breaches of ban notices can result in fines and/or penalty notices upwards of $550.
Once patrons’ bans have expired, operators will be notified upon entrance that they have been previously banned, so they can be reminded to be on their best behaviour.

Damage Control Is Cheaper With ID Scanners

ID scanners are cost-effective for venue damage control, serving as a long-term investment. They deter crime, prevent underage entry, and safeguard against fines, lawsuits, license loss, and reputation damage, proactively averting unfavorable events.