Wind Creek Bethlehem fined for allowing person on self-exclusion list to gamble for 4 days
Wind Creek Bethlehem has been fined $20,000 for allowing a person on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s self-exclusion list to gamble.
The fine stems from an incident in which casino personnel failed to stop an individual on the PGCB’s self-exclusion list from actively participating in table games at the south Bethlehem casino on a number of visits over a four-day period, the PGCB said in a news release.
The PGCB offers self-exclusion programs to help individuals affected by problem gambling distance themselves from the temptation of gambling. Self-exclusion allows these individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from casinos, internet-based gambling, video gaming terminals and fantasy sports wagering.
Pursuant to PGCB regulations, a casino must identify self-excluded patrons and refuse gaming privileges and other gaming-related activities such as the cashing of checks.
The $20,000 fine was related to three consent agreements announced Wednesday between the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel and Wind Creek, another casino and a provider of gaming services.
Two other consent agreements approved by the PGCB include: Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, Inc., operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County, being fined $7,500 for a self-exclusion violation; and Underdog Sports, Inc. being fined $8,000 for operating fantasy contests without securing required licenses.
The PGCB is tasked with overseeing all aspects of Pennsylvania gambling, including 16 land-based casinos, online casino games, retail and online sports wagering, and Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) at qualified truck stops, along with the regulation of online fantasy sports contests.
The PGCB’s next meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 15 in the PGCB’s Public Hearing Room on the second floor of the Strawberry Square Complex in Harrisburg.