Pennsylvania Regulator Fines Parx Casino
Author:
Jacob McKenzie
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has announced that it has fined Parx Casino operator Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment $10,000 for allowing underage gaming on its gaming floor. The regulator also ended up sanctioning parents who left their children unattended in cars in casino parking lots while they entered said casinos.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has fined Parx Casino operator Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment $10,000 for allowing underage gaming to take place on its gaming floor. ?pierre9x6/Pixabay
18-Year-Old Allowed to Enter Parx Casino and Play on Gaming Floor
The state of Pennsylvania’s main gambling regulator, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), has revealed that it has issued a $10,000 fine against Parx Casino operator Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment for underage gaming. The regulator also took the opportunity to sanction parents who left their children unattended in their cars in casino parking lots.
The fine against Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment relates to one of its casinos, Parx Casino, violating the state’s underage gaming laws when it allowed an 18-year old to step onto the Buck County casino’s gaming floor and gamble on its slot machines.
The state of Pennsylvania’s Gaming Act clearly prohibits individuals under the age of 21 from entering and remaining in any area of a licensed gambling facility in which slot machines are being operated.
Three Cases Where Parents Left Children Unattended in Cars in Casino Parking Lots
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) was also made aware of three cases in which parents left their children completely unattended in cars in casino parking lots in order to enter and patronize said casino. The regulator did not mention which specific casinos were involved in these cases.
The first case in question saw a parent leave their 11-year-old unattended in order to redeem a sportsbook ticket. The second involved one parent leaving eight and five year old boys in the car to place bets at a craps table, while the last parent left four children aged between two and 13 unsupervised to watch their acquaintance play at a craps table.
As punishment for these infractions, each parent was placed on PGCB’s Involuntary Exclusion List, which prohibits individuals from entering and gambling at all Pennsylvania casinos. They may also face criminal charges down the line.
A statement on behalf of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) reminded the general public not to leave children unattended in casino parking lots — or indeed anywhere on the premises of a casino or hotel:
“The board is reminding the gambling public to not leave children unattended in the parking lot or garage, a hotel, or other venue at a casino, not only because of the possible exclusion from all Pennsylvania casinos and prosecution, but more importantly due to the possible safety hazard to the child.”– Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)
Pennsylvania Regulator Selected New Chair in July 2021
It’s been an active year full of change and growth for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), with the regulatory body appointing Denise Smyler as its new chair this past July 2021, following the retirement of former chair David Barasch.
Smyler first joined the board in 2019, after a stint working as the General Counsel of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As part of this role, she led the execution of legal services to the state’s governor, the governor’s staff, and an additional 30 executive brand and independent agencies.
This is what very likely led to Pennsylvania’s governor, Tom Wolf, appointing Smyler as the new chair of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) this past summer. The governor’s former deputy finance director, Nedia Ralston, was also appointed to the PGCB at the same time as Smyler.
The change in leadership came shortly after the news of David Barasch’s retirement, who had previously served as the board’s leader for six years. The board’s charter contains a provision which limits its members to a maximum of two three-year terms.
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board executive director Kevin O’Toole paid tribute to the former chair, who directed Pennsylvania through the launch of online gaming offerings in the Keystone State:
“The Gaming Control board and the public benefitted from David Barasch’s deep experience and steady hand during the past six years. At no time in the history of this agency were those qualities more important in a board chair than during the past year of unexpected and unprecedented disruptions to the gaming industry due to Covid-19.”– Kevin O’Toole, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)
Regulator Issued a Number of Fines Back in June 2021
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is no stranger to issuing fines, announcing in June 2021 that it was giving out four new fines to three license holders, totaling a sum of $284,000.
The Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, which operates Hollywood Casino and is a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, was hit with two fines totaling $120,000, firstly for allowing a customer who had self-excluded from its casino to gamble, and secondly for the actions of two employees who willfully funneled unauthorized payments to service providers. The two employees’ contracts have since been terminated.
Boyd Gaming Corporation was issued a $150,000 fine for failing to disclose facts concerning the fitness of one of its key employees. Finally, Valley Forge Convention Center Partners was fined $14,000 because it allowed a 20-year-old underage player to gamble at one of its physical locations.
