Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board issues $81K fine to Presque Isle Downs & Casino operator

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has approved two consent agreements, resulting in total fines of $81,575 against PID, LLC, the operator of Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie County.

The fines include $50,000 for not maintaining the required number of active slot machines and $31,575 for failing to submit a Principal License application on time.

The Board also added three individuals to its Involuntary Exclusion List, which prohibits individuals from gambling in Pennsylvania casinos, regulated online betting sites, and Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) locations, for leaving minors unattended while gambling. 

A man left a five-year-old alone in a vehicle at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for 12 minutes while attempting to conduct financial business inside. Another man left a 10-year-old in a car with no running engine or open windows for 45 minutes in 90-degree heat at Wind Creek Casino while gambling. 

The board also denied a request for removal from a female patron who, in 2022, left three minors—ages 10, 14, and 15—unattended for one hour and 41 minutes at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

The PGCB emphasized that leaving minors unattended in casino parking lots, garages, hotels, or other venues is strictly prohibited and poses serious safety risks. To raise awareness, the Board has launched the “Don’t Gamble with Kids” campaign to help prevent such incidents.

The next PGCB public meeting is scheduled for March 26, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in the Board’s Public Hearing Room on the second floor of the Strawberry Square Complex in Harrisburg.