In a recent incident at Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge Casino Resort, a man was placed on the permanent exclusion list after leaving a one-year-old child alone in a locked vehicle while he went inside the casino to gamble. The man spent nine minutes inside the property’s sports book and at a table game before returning to the parking lot. During his absence, Pennsylvania State Police broke the car’s window to rescue the baby and discovered illegal drugs inside the vehicle. The suspect allegedly attempted to flee upon seeing the troopers. Fortunately, the baby was not injured, despite the outside temperature being 84 degrees.
As a result of this incident, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved placing the man’s name on the exclusion list, preventing him from entering any casinos in the state. Additionally, three other adults were also placed on the exclusion list for similar incidents involving leaving children unattended in vehicles at different casinos in the state.
The PGCB emphasized that such actions violate Pennsylvania state law, which prohibits adults from leaving minors unattended in parking lots, garages, hotels, or other venues at casinos. This violation can also lead to criminal prosecution in addition to exclusion from all Pennsylvania casinos.
Furthermore, the PGCB fined regulated entities a total of $45,000 in separate incidents. Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, LLC, operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, was fined $40,000 when players under the age of 21 accessed the gaming floor and gambled in three separate incidents. Lightning Gaming, Inc., a manufacturer of slot machines, was fined $5,000 for failing to notify the PGCB of material changes to its financial status.
The PGCB did not provide further details in the statement released regarding these incidents. It is clear that the safety and well-being of children in and around casinos is a top priority, and the strict laws and regulations in place in Pennsylvania aim to prevent such dangerous and potentially harmful situations.
