By
Jerry Smith
Staff Writer Updated: 10/03/2022
Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.
Casino Fined Over Underage Gambling
Pennsylvania, along with other states across the country, has strict rules in place when it comes to the legal gambling age. However, one casino in Pennsylvania allegedly allowed youngsters, one as young as eleven, to access their games, and fines have now been imposed.
The casino in question is the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Pennsylvania, with reports that young people aged 11-18 were gambling there.
A large fine has now been imposed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board following an investigation and a recent meeting to determine what action would be taken. The property has been fined $160,000 for failing to ensure that the people accessing casino games were of legal age to do so. The fine comes following an agreement with the Office of Enforcement Counsel.
It is reported that the fine was given not just as the result of a single incident, but due to a number of issues relating to underage gambling at the property.
Under Pennsylvania law, players need to be aged 21 or over to enter the facility, and employees are meant to carry out ID checks before allowing those who appear to be underage onto the gaming floor.
According to the allegations, the Mount Airy Casino allowed three underage gambling incidents to take place, and one of these involved a child who was just 11. The other incidents involved children aged 13 and a teen aged 18.
Reports claim that in the incident with the two 13-year-olds, the children were gambling with their mother. The incident with the 18-year-old involved gambling on two slot machines. Shockingly, in the incident with the 11-year-old, the child was able to gamble on ten different games and cash out two vouchers. The child’s parents were said to have been with her at the time.
Following the decision regarding the fine, an official from Mount Airy Casino said:
The ownership of Mount Airy Casino Resort respects the decision of the Gaming Board, and we are always working towards further improving our processes.
Unfortunately, the underage gambling fine was not the only one that was imposed by the gaming board against the casino. There was also a second fine of close to $101,000 relating to failing to file corporate and individual renewal applications in a timely manner.
Over recent months, a lot of concerns have been raised regarding problem gambling among younger people.
With many states now offering easy access to gambling platforms online, younger people including those below legal age are able to access gaming without even setting foot in a casino. Many are also able to access gaming inside casinos if the proper checks are not carried out by staff.
With problem gambling having become such a huge issue in general in states across the nation, gaming boards in all states take the issue of underage gambling very seriously. As a result, the penalties for casinos found to have allowed minors to gamble can be very hefty.
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