Summary:
- Three license holders were named in the fines.
- Live! Casino Pittsburg was fined for self-exclusion and minor gambling issues.
- Love’s Travel Stop was fined for ownership structure issues.
Operating a gambling business in any state requires the provider to follow strict regulations and rules set up by the overseer.
In Pennsylvania, the Gaming Control Board is in charge of ensuring that each license holder complies with local regulations. This week, the board handed out $73,075 in fines to gambling operators for infractions. Three license holders were affected, including Greenwood Gaming, Loves Travel Stop and Stadium Casino Westmoreland.
The Violations and Fine Breakdown
Each operator was asked to pay a fine for breaking state gaming regulations. Stadium Casino Westmoreland is the operator of Live! Casino Pittsburgh faced two fines for allowing minors and self-excluded players to gamble.
The casino had to pay $20,000 after allowing individuals who were on the self-exclusion list in the state to enter the gaming floor and play games. This breach happened two times onsite. Another $10,000 was added to the overall total after a person under 21 was allowed to play slots.
Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment was also fined, this time for failing to submit license renewal applications in a timely manner. The company had to pay $18,075 for the violation. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores was fined $25,000 for failing to provide updates on changes in ownership structure for VGT Truck Stop locations.
Failure to Comply
The gaming regulator steps in when a casino company fails to comply with rules and regulations. Regulators are supposed to keep a watchful eye and provide feedback and possibly a fine or other punishment to any operator that does not follow protocols.
Operators need to turn in paperwork and note any changes to the operations in a timely manner, which is what Greenwood Gaming did not do. However, the worst infraction goes to Live! as it allowed minors and self-excluded individuals to gamble.
This is a major violation breach and one that is not tolerated. ID checks and other measures are in place to ensure this type of incident does not occur inside a Pennsylvania casino. Proper training is supposed to occur, and employees are retrained if an incident occurs to avoid it from happening again.
Casinos that experience the same violation time and time again are often fined larger amounts and sometimes punished further to better protect the public. There is no doubt that Live! has implemented some type of training or further action to ensure that minors or self-excluded players do not have access to the gaming floor in the future.
About the Author
