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Summary:
- The PGCB fined Presque Isle Downs & Casino $81,575 for operational violations.
- The fine included a $50,000 penalty for insufficient slot machines and $31,575 for late filing of a Principal License application.
- The PGCB also reviewed cases involving involuntary exclusion lists, including incidents of minors being left unattended in vehicles at various casinos.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) took significant enforcement actions on Wednesday, approving two consent agreements from its Office of Enforcement Counsel, resulting in a total of $81,575 in fines.
These fines were levied against the operator of Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie County, Pennsylvania with specific violations outlined for both.
Not Enough Active Slot Machines, Failure to Send Principal License Application
The first fine, totaling $50,000, was imposed for failing to maintain the required number of active slots on the casino floor as per their approved operations.
Presque Isle Downs & Casino was slapped with the second fine, set to $31,575, for its failure to submit the necessary Principal License application within the legal timeframe.
The document is critical to ensure the continued operation of casinos.
Troubling Incidents Regarding Minors
In addition to these financial penalties, the PGCB also addressed issues related to its involuntary exclusion lists.
The respective lists are used to ban individuals from taking part in gambling activities in any of Pennsylvania’s casinos. The ban also applies to online betting platforms and video gaming terminals.
Among the cases discussed, several involved patrons who were found to have left minors unattended while engaging in gambling activities at various casinos across the state.
One troubling incident involved a male patron at Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, who left a 5-year-old child alone in a vehicle in the valet parking lot for 12 minutes while he attended to financial matters inside the casino.
Another case at Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem saw a male patron leave a 10-year-old child inside a locked car with the windows rolled up and the engine off for 45 minutes.
The outside temperature at the time was 90 degrees, creating a dangerous situation for the child while the patron gambled on slot machines.
Further, the PGCB denied a request to remove a female patron from the involuntary exclusion list.
In 2022, the respective woman left her three minor children, ages 10, 14, and 15, unattended in her vehicle on the premises of Penn National Race Course‘s Hollywood Casino.
For more than one hour and a half, the woman engaged in gambling activities inside the casino, a behavior that the PGCB deemed as a serious violation, reinforcing the importance of protecting minors from potential harm.
