Operator of Pittsburgh-area casino fined $10,000 for letting in gambler on self-exclusion list

WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) — The operator of Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in Washington County has been fined $10,000 for letting someone gamble who was on a self-exclusion list, officials announced. 

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved a consent agreement on Wednesday to fine Washington Trotting Association, LLC, which operates the casino.

The board said a person on the self-exclusion list was allowed inside to gamble at slot machines and cash checks at the casino. When someone puts themselves on the list, a casino operator has to deny gaming and cash-checking privileges, the board says.

If a person on the self-exclusion list is caught in a gaming facility, they can be charged with defiant trespass, which the board says happened in this case. 

In October, the Live! Casino in Westmoreland County was fined $30,000 for letting in someone who was underage and two people who were self-excluded from gambling. 

The board says it offers self-exclusion programs to help people distance themselves from the temptation of gambling. It allows people to voluntarily ban themselves from casinos, internet-based gambling, video gaming terminals and fantasy sports wagering. 

Last year, Pennsylvania brought in a record $5.7 billion in revenue from gambling, and in March, the state’s monthly gaming revenue passed $500 million for the first time since legalized gambling began in 2006.