The Rideau Carleton Raceway introduced its slot machines on Feb. 18, 2000. A woman who has been addicted to slot machines for 15 years says she was still able to play the slots at the Rideau Carleton Raceway after she voluntarily banned herself from the facility.

The woman, who didn’t want to be identified, said she lost her house and two other properties because of her gambling addiction. To curb her gambling, she eventually placed herself on a special list at the Ottawa raceway that bans people from playing slots.

She said she had her picture taken and signed an agreement promising to stay away from the site.

"I recall them telling me that they would, if they found me on the premises, have me arrested for trespassing," she said.

Despite the agreement, the woman said she was able to return to the site several times to gamble.

"I was a little scared of Rideau Carleton because of what they said, but I thought well, I'll take my chances," she said. "So I went in, and nobody stopped me."

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation runs the slots at the raceway. Paul Pellizzari, a spokesman for the OLG, said the self-exclusion policy isn’t a "policing" program.

"The most important aspect of detection is that it serves as a disincentive," Pellizzari said. "Self-excluded players have told us, 'If I know that there's some kind of consequence of returning to the site, then it will keep me away.'"

Pellizzari said OLG is testing a facial recognition technology at the Woodbine Slots in Toronto. He said cameras at the entrance instantly match faces to photos of people who have chosen to be banned from the facility.

Pellizzari said OLG has yet to make a decision on whether the system will be installed at gambling facilities across the province.