PA Gaming Control Board Collects $272,500 in Fines

According to the latest news, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), has issued fines against two state casinos in Monroe and Erie County. The state regulatory body collected $272,500 from those two fines.

Casinos in Problem

After the Board meeting, PGCB decided to fine Mount Airy #1 LL, which is in charge of Mount Airy Casino Resort in Monroe County…

…as well as Presque Isle Downs Inc., which operates Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie County.

The first company was fined with $250,000, while the other was fined a sum of much less ($22,500).

Why?

Mount Airy received a fine because it didn’t implement a tracking system for alcoholic drinks back in 2017…

…although they told the PGCB that they would do so and also train their personnel within two weeks’ time.

The tracking system is designed to track and limit the amount of alcoholic beverages served to a patron in a certain period of time. And, since the casino didn’t have it, one of the patrons filed an incident in February 2018…

…when he drank too much and killed a pedestrian when he drove off the premises.

The patron was charged with homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence, while the casino also had to suffer consequences because the tracking system might have prevented the tragedy.

The Other Issue

The second fine of $22,500 against Presque Isle Downs, Inc., was issued because of a table games violation. There were actually two incidents, one at a blackjack table, while the other was at a poker table. As stated in the declaration, both incidents involved compromised decks.

Pennsylvania Regulatory Body

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has the task of overlooking the complete state’s casino industry…

…including newly added sports betting.

The Casino industry in Pennsylvania currently consists of 10 stand-alone racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos. All these facilities generate around $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually, mainly from slot machines and table games.

$2 Million in Sports Betting Revenue

December was quite a successful month for PA when a total revenue from sports betting came up to a total of $2 million. Only three venues (Hollywood Casino, Rivers Casino, and SugarHouse Casino) that are for now offering this type of wagering managed to acquire this amazing sum.

Let’s not forget that Pennsylvania was among the first countries that legalized sports betting after the US Supreme Court overturned the Federal Ban…

…that prevented sports betting since 1992.

The country has a lucrative tax policy since the state regulator imposed a 34% tax rate on gaming revenue. In the first year since the gambling expansion law was ed, the state has raked in almost $400 million, and with its 13 million habitants, it is certainly becoming one of the most thriving and lucrative gambling markets in the US.

Source:

“PA Gaming Control Board Levies $272,500 in Fines”, George Miller, europeangaming.eu, February 7, 2019.