Every state in the US that offers casino gaming has an age limit. For the most part, the age limit for accessing a casino is 21. Individuals are carded upon entry to ensure that they meet the age requirement. While strict rules are in place, it is not uncommon for a visitor to slip through the cracks and gain access to gaming while underage. In Pennsylvania, Sugarhouse HSP Gaming L.P. is now facing a $62,500 fine for incidents involving minors within their Rivers Casino Philadelphia casino.
The Incidents
Three separate incidents took place at the casino involving minor patrons. The first incident goes back to February of last year. A 20-year-old female patron was stopped after using fraudulent identification. Once security footage was reviewed, it was found that she entered the gaming floor not once, but four different occasions on separate days. She was able to play the slots and table games; plus was served alcohol. A casino loyalty card was also provided.
The second incident took place in October of last year involving another twenty-year-old, this time a male patron. He was able to access the casino floor without being stopped by security guards to show identification. He played the slot machines and took a voucher from another patron of $69.50 before he left the casino. This person was actually arrested due to the voucher theft and convicted of robbery back in March.
In February of this year, the Rivers Casino Philadelphia allowed another twenty-year-old male to enter the premises. The individual was ignored by security guards and gained access to table games. He played for eight hours before a supervisor approached him and challenged his age. This person was carrying fake identification.
According to the consent agreement by the casino, the patrons were ejected from the casino. The security personnel on the job at the time of the incidents were disciplined.
Paying Up
Due to the underage incidents, the Rivers Casino Philadelphia were forced to pay $62,500 as part of a consent agreement with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The gaming regulators take such violations seriously and expect fines to be paid as well as changes to the venue on how business is conducted to avoid such incidents.
In most cases, casinos will alert regulators when such instances occur to pay their fines and stay in good standing. It is not uncommon for young people to try to trick security when it comes to gaining entry via fake identification. New technology makes it far more difficult to determine if an ID is legit than it did in the past.
However, in the majority of these instances, the security personnel was not paying attention and the underage individuals were able to enter the casino without even being checked. The first step in stopping such issues from occurring is ensuring that security is on point and they follow all protocols to ensure that everyone entering the casino is of age.
