Pennsylvania regulator hands out $35,000 in financial penalties

Wind Creek Bethlehem, operator of Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem in Northampton County, received the largest penalty after it was handed a fine of $20,000.

This was in relation to a self-exclusion violation where casino staff failed to stop a consumer on the PGCB’s self-exclusion list from playing table games at the venue on a number of visits over a four-day period

PGCB regulations state that a casino must identify self-excluded patrons and refuse gaming privileges and other gaming-related activities.

Meanwhile, Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County, was also fined $7,500 for a self-exclusion violation.

Here, the PGCB said a self-excluded individual was able to gamble at slot machines and cashed a personal cheque at the Hollywood Casino facility, thus placing the venue in breach of PGCB regulations.

Finally, Underdog Sports was fined $8,000 for operating fantasy contests without securing the required licence in Pennsylvania.

In this case, the PGCB said Underdog offered games with two unlicensed shareholders that were required to undergo background investigations and be licensed. The PGCB added that five corporate entities created by Underdog were also not licensed during a time when the operator offered fantasy games in the state.

This week, it was revealed that Pennsylvania’s gambling market generated $461.6m in total revenue during April, marginally less than the monthly record of $462.7m set in March of this year.

Revenue slipped 0.2% month-on-month, but figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board revealed a 14.5% increase from $404.1m in April last year.