Pennsylvania regulator issues $48,000 in fines to a casino and a fantasy sports licensee

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has imposed $48,000 in fines on a casino and a fantasy sports contest licensee. The regulator has also placed seven individuals on its exclusion list due to incidents where children were left unattended at casinos.

The Board approved the two consent agreements presented by the Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel during its public meeting regarding violations. Chester Downs and Marina, the operator of Harrah's Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack, has been fined $35,000 for allowing individuals under 21 years old to access the gaming floor and gamble. Meanwhile, SportsHub, a licensed fantasy contest operator, has received a $13,000 fine for a change of control of its license without board approval.

Furthermore, the PGCB has added seven adults to the exclusion list, prohibiting them from entering any Pennsylvania casino. This action follows instances where nine children, ranging in age from 14 months to 13 years, were left unattended at various casinos, including Harrah's Philadelphia, Mohegan Sun Pennsylvania, Valley Forge Casino Resort, Rivers Casino Philadelphia, and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.

The children were left alone for periods ranging from two minutes to 28 minutes while adults engaged in gaming activities or attempted to gain access to the casino. In one case, two adults, who were employees of Harrah's Philadelphia, left a child unattended to enter the casino dealer school and human resources office. Both their contracts were terminated.

Since the beginning of 2022, the PGCB has identified 370 incidents of adults leaving children unattended at Pennsylvania casinos, involving a total of 596 minors. The PGCB emphasized that leaving minors unattended at a casino creates a potentially unsafe and dangerous environment for the children. It also reminded the public that adults who leave minors unattended at Pennsylvania casinos can face criminal prosecution in addition to exclusion from all casinos in the state.

In other news, the Board also noted Churchill Downs has chosen not to renew its management agreement for Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin. Instead, the company has sold substantially all of its assets to Woodlands Fayette for an "immaterial sum." Woodlands Fayette, the manager of Nemacolin Resort, will now oversee Lady Luck Nemacolin.

The PGCB has unanimously voted to renew Lady Luck Nemacolin's category three license, and all employees of the casino were offered positions by Woodlands Fayette. Since its opening in July 2013, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin has generated $289 million in gross revenue, contributing $139.9 million to the Commonwealth. The casino currently operates 600 slot machines and 26 table games.