Underage violations lead to fines for 4 casinos

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Four casinos are paying a combined $130,000 dollars in fines to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission for gambling violations involving minors.

Racing And Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington was fined for the actions of an underage male.

“He entered the casino floor unchallenged, was on the floor for 47 minutes. It was not discernable whether the individual had gambled — pulled a ticket out of the machine, and based on a preponderance of the evidence, we felt the individual did gamble,” he says.

Ohorilko says the casino agreed to a $30,000 fine. “Normal fine for this is 20 (thousand dollars), but there were the aggravating circumstances of a lack of surveillance coverage, and the age of the minor elevated that fine,” Ohorkolk says.

The Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs was fined $60,000 for two underage violations. The first involved a minor female in January who entered the gambling floor with an adult. “Had gambled at a number of slot machines and was on the gaming floor for over 30 minutes, In the second count — it occurred a couple of months later — there was another individual, a 17-year-old female who had entered the gaming floor. She was on the floor for five hours and had gambled,” according to Ohorilko.

Prairie Meadows in Altoona was fined 20-thousand dollars for an underage male who got onto the casino floor with two adults. “Was not challenged at the turnstile, had gambled, and was on the floor for approximately 60 minutes. This individual was identified by another security officer who was conducting their routine business,” he says.

The final violation involved a minor at the Diamond Jo Worth Casino in Northwood who entered the gambling floor unchallenged. “Was on the floor for over two hours and had gambled. This minor was identified by staff at Diamond Jo,” Ohorilko says. Diamond Jo Worth agreed to a $20,000 penalty for the violation. Ohorilko says the violations for all four casinos were their first in the last 365 days.