Pocono Downs Casino Fined For Underage Gambling

A Pennsylvania casino run by Mohegan Sun and located at Pocono Downs was fined for a series of violations of age limit laws pertaining to gambling and being on the gaming floor.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board levied a $97,500 fine against the Mohegan Sun Casino at Pocono Downs for having failed to prevent minors from gambling. The fine was placed against the casino for fifteen separate incidents involving minors either gambling or being in the restricted area of the gaming floor.

Pennsylvania law forbids people under 21 from playing slots, and under 18 from being on the gambling floor.

The first part of the fine concerned eleven documented incidents of slot players discovered to be between 18 and 21, which led to about half the total fine. The other half involved 4 occasions upon which individuals under the age of 18 entered the gaming floor unchallenged.

The violations occurred since August of last year and this spring.

Mohegan Sun officials agreed to the fine, as unanimously approved by the board, and promised to increase security in the amount of $225,000 a year in additional labor, with the goal of securing the casino gaming floor.

Security tapes reveal most of the incidents involved minors using unguarded access to enter the gambling area, then playing for 15 or 20 minutes before being observed by security. At least twice the illegal player gambled for over an hour before attracting attention.