PA Casinos Fined $150,000

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today fined three casinos a total of $150,000 for 12 occurrences where persons under the age of 21 played slot machines and one incident that involved a minor gaining access to the

gaming floor.

Civil penalties unanimously approved by the board at its public meeting today in Harrisburg as part of consent agreements between the board’s office of enforcement counsel and the operators of the casinos were:

• Moutainview Thoroughbred Racing Association (Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racecourse) - $65,000 for three incidents of permitting underage individuals on the gaming floor and playing slot machines, and one incident of permitting a minor on the gaming floor;
• Harrah’s Chester Downs and Marina, LLC (Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack) - $70,000 for seven incidents of permitting underage individuals on the gaming floor and playing slot machines;
• Presque Isle Downs, Inc. (Presque Isle Downs and Casino) - $15,000 for two incidents of permitting underage individuals on the gaming floor and playing slot machines.

The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act provides that it is unlawful for persons under 21 years of age to operate or use slot machines and that individuals under 18 years of age may not enter the gaming floor of a licensed facility.

This was the third occasion in which Mountainview Thoroughbred was fined by the board for similar violations, the other two occasions occurring in November of 2009 for three underage violations resulting in a $24,000 fine and in September 2008 for a single underage violation that garnered a $5,000 fine. The latest violations occurred between February 1, 2010 and July 16, 2010:

• February 1, 2010 – an 18-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 21 minutes;
• March 13, 2010 - a 19-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 34 minutes;
• March 27, 2010 - an 18-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 16 minutes;
• July 16, 2010 – a 10-year-old, accompanied by her father, gained access to the gaming floor for 25 minutes but did not play any slot machines.

This was the second occasion in which Harrah’s Chester Downs and Marina was fined by the board for similar violations, the other in August 2008 for a single underage violation and for having areas of the gaming floor unmonitored by casino security staff. The latest violations occurred between October 1, 2009 and March 21, 2010:

• October 1, 2009 - a 20-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 4 hours and 17 minutes;
• October 19, 2009 - a 20-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 1 hour and 40 minutes;
• November 1, 2009 - a 20-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 1 hour and 17 minutes;

November 7, 2009 - a 20 year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 33 minutes;

• January 14, 2010 - a 19 year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 16 minutes;
• February 8, 2010 - a 20-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 45 minutes. In this instance, the patron was cited by the Pennsylvania State Police for Criminal Trespass;
• March 21, 2010 - a 20-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 7 minutes.

This is the first fine on Presque Isle Downs for underage violations:

• April 17, 2010 - a 19-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 12 minutes;

May 13, 2010 - a 19-year-old patron gained access to the gaming floor and placed wagers on slot machines for 25 minutes.

(With files from the PGCB)