The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has handed out igaming related fines that total $60,000, in addition to swelling the state’s exclusion list via the addition of two adults for gambling at casinos while leaving children unattended.
The first financial penalty was issued to Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, which came in at $45,000.
This was due to permitting five individuals who were enrolled in the Board’s igaming self-exclusion program to conduct activity via the Barstool Sportsbook.
“An interactive gaming certificate must refuse wagers from and deny gaming privileges and benefits to an individual who has placed themself on the igaming self-exclusion list,” the regulator noted.
Furthermore, Downs Racing, operator of Mohegan Pennsylvania, and its Unibet partner, will pay $7,500 after failing to suspend an account of an individual who had utilised a compulsive gambling tool and requested a temporary suspension of activities.
The regulator elaborated: “In this instance, the individual requested a 90-day ‘cool off’ period but the request went unacknowledged by the operator and the individual continued substantial gaming activity for 21 more days.”
Finally, Evolution was penalised $7,500 after an unlicensed employee was permitted to deal several games of blackjack in its gaming studio for live dealer online casino.
In addition to the above, the PGCB has also banned a further two adults from all casinos in the Commonwealth for leaving children unattended in order to engage in gaming activities.
This concerns a pair of separate incidents within which a 12-year-old and 14-month-old were left unattended in a running vehicle to wager at the Presque Isle Downs & Casino and Valley Forge Casino and Resort sportsbooks.
“The board’s actions serve as a reminder that adults are prohibited from leaving minors unattended in the parking lot or garage, a hotel, or other venues at a casino since it creates a potentially unsafe and dangerous environment for the children,” the regulator added.
Since the start of 2022 through February 2023, the PGCB has identified 331 incidents of adults leaving children unattended to gamble at Pennsylvania casinos, involving 522 minors.