HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved fines totaling $282,205 and expanded its exclusion lists to include nine additional individuals during its recent meeting. These measures reflect the Board’s efforts to enforce compliance in the gaming industry and address safety concerns tied to minor-related incidents.
The largest fine, $260,905, was issued to BetMGM, LLC, an Interactive Gaming Operator. The penalty stemmed from 152 instances where individuals on the Board’s Interactive Self-Exclusion List were incorrectly permitted to gamble on the operator’s platforms. Pennsylvania regulations require iGaming sites to block participation by individuals on the self-exclusion list.
Two other fines were assessed for separate infractions. Rush Street Gaming, LLC was issued a $13,800 penalty for failing to submit a principal license renewal application for its Chief Financial Officer. Stadium Casino Westmoreland RE, LLC, operator of Live! Casino Pittsburgh, was fined $7,500 for utilizing revoked software on 11 slot machines at the facility.
Beyond these fines, the PGCB also took disciplinary actions against individuals for leaving minors unattended while gambling at casinos. Violators included a man who left a 12-year-old in a vehicle outside Live! Casino Philadelphia for 20 minutes across two incidents and another patron who left a 12-year-old child in the lobby of Mount Airy Casino Resort for 26 minutes while playing slots. The Board also denied the removal of four individuals previously placed on the Casino Involuntary Exclusion List for similar offenses, including one case where five unattended children were left in a vehicle.
The Board emphasized the persistent risks these actions pose, stating that such behavior creates a potentially unsafe environment for children. Alongside casino initiatives to mitigate these occurrences, the PGCB has launched its public awareness campaign, “Don’t Gamble with Kids,” to educate patrons on the consequences of such actions.
Since its inception, the Board has placed 1,280 individuals on its Casino Involuntary Exclusion List and 62 on its iGaming Exclusion List. Those included are prohibited from accessing casinos, online gaming platforms overseen by the Board, or Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) locations in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s next meeting is scheduled for February 26, 2025, at its Harrisburg headquarters. The Board’s continued enforcement of regulatory actions spotlights its goal of maintaining industry standards, protecting consumers, and ensuring safe environments for all patrons.
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