Smart cards are now being used to give the boot to troublemakers who frequent nightclubs. The new biometric smart cards are being introduced in Europe by Keyware Technologies and Interstrat, with implementation at 15 nightclubs in the Netherlands. Patrons of each nightclub will receive a biometric membership card. The club-goers will go through a short enrollment process to put their face and finger bio prints onto the membership card. Each time a patron attends a club, his or her physical characteristics will automatically be verified against the bio print information on the smart card and the nightclub database.

When a person is found to have caused trouble, nightclub management will flag that person in the database and not allow him or her access. The biometric technology on the card ensures that the troublemaker will not be able to forge an identity and regain access to a club where he or she has caused trouble. Keyware says violence and illegal drug use in nightclubs is a disturbing trend in Europe and the U.S. which smart cards can manage. Both firms also plan to distribute the system to other sport and entertainment-based franchises. The smart cards can also be used for marketing purposes such as distributing disco-dollars or points to members. For more information visit www.keyware.com.