October 28th, 2010 – by Brittney Johnson
No strange to fines, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has recently levied a citation against Mount Airy Casino Resort. The fine, equal to $40,000, was put against the casino for allowing individuals back into the casino despite being on the state’s self exclusion list.
Under the state’s laws, those who add themselves to the self exclusion program are banned from all casinos in the state. Once a person is on the list, every casino must not allow these people access to the gaming floor. These players must also be removed from mailing lists and excluded from VIP programs and other forms of advertising.
If a self excluded gambler violates the policy, they are to be arrested for trespassing on the casino’s property.
Over a four day period in July, a self excluded gambler opened an account with Mount Airy and cashed multiple checks in the casino. The player had also engaged in games.
The second incident also entailed a self excluded gambler playing the games, and this player even won $2,515 as a jackpot.
As with the previous two incidents, the third also took place in July of 2009.
A fourth incident occurred between February and April of 2010.
While the PGCB has levied multiple fines for underage gambling, this is only the fourth time a casino in Pennsylvania had been fined for self excluded gamblers getting into the games.
Though the self exclusion program is not perfect, it still prevents problem gamblers from getting in on the games. Pathological gamblers have little other protection from falling victims to themselves.