BetMGM Among Operators Fined in Pennsylvania for Regulatory Violations
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The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has issued fines totaling $282,205 to multiple gambling operators for various regulatory violations. The penalties were approved as part of three consent agreements presented by the Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel. The most significant fine was imposed on BetMGM, which was ordered to pay $260,905 for failing to prevent self-excluded individuals from gambling on its platform.
Under Pennsylvania gaming regulations, online operators must ensure that individuals on the state’s Interactive Self-Exclusion List are blocked from accessing gambling services. However, BetMGM allowed 152 such individuals to continue playing, violating this key safeguard. The fine serves as a strong reminder that gaming operators must rigorously enforce self-exclusion measures to prevent individuals struggling with gambling addiction from accessing online betting platforms.
Two other operators were also penalized for separate violations. Rush Street Gaming, LLC was fined $13,800 for failing to submit a Principal License renewal application for its Chief Financial Officer.
Meanwhile, Stadium Casino Westmoreland RE, LLC, which operates Live! Casino Pittsburgh, received a $7,500 fine after it was found to have used revoked software in 11 of its slot machines. These penalties highlight the importance of compliance with regulatory requirements to ensure the integrity of the gaming industry in Pennsylvania.
Beyond the fines, the PGCB also took action against individuals who left minors unattended while gambling. Four people were either added to or denied removal from the state’s Involuntary Exclusion List due to such incidents.
One male patron was placed on the list after leaving a 12-year-old alone in a vehicle twice in the same day while gambling at Live! Casino Philadelphia. In another case, a female patron left a 12-year-old unattended in the bus lobby of Mount Airy Casino Resort for 26 minutes while playing slot machines.
Two individuals who had previously been placed on the list were denied requests for removal. One man had left five children, ranging from ages 2 to 13, alone in a vehicle for 35 minutes while gambling at Presque Isle Downs & Casino. Another woman was found to have left her 14-month-old child locked in a vehicle at Valley Forge Resort Casino multiple times in a single day, despite outside temperatures reaching 88 degrees. These actions not only violate casino policies but also create serious safety risks for minors.
To address the ongoing issue of unattended children at casinos, the PGCB has been running an awareness campaign titled “Don’t Gamble with Kids.” The initiative aims to educate the public about the dangers of leaving minors unsupervised in casino parking lots, hotels, or other venues.
Since its launch, the Board has placed a total of 1,280 individuals on the Casino Involuntary Exclusion List, while 62 people have been banned from iGaming platforms regulated by the state.
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