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Valley Forge Casino Resort agreed to a consent decree on Wednesday and paid a $30,000 fine to settle a case of underage gambling from last year. The casino, located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, was accused of allowing a 13-year-old boy to enter the gaming floor and play slots for hours without intervention, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Teen’s father enabled underage gambling at Pennsylvania casino
According to the decree, the father gave the boy $600 to gamble. The boy spent $1,640, though the document does not specify whether or how much he won.
The boy and his father entered the gaming floor together. The boy presented his father’s ID to security officers. One officer attempted to scan the ID but failed, so he passed it to another officer, who successfully scanned it. Assuming the father had provided the ID, the second officer returned it to him, and the pair was allowed onto the gaming floor.
The following day, the pair attempted to access the gaming floor again but was turned away by security officers. The incident prompted a review of the previous day’s surveillance footage, which showed the boy gambling alongside his father. The casino reported the incident to the Pennsylvania State Police, who cited the father for aiding and abetting. The father later pleaded guilty to a summary offense of permitting persons under 21 to gamble.
In response, the casino provided additional training for its security officers on responsible gambling practices. The two officers involved received final written warnings, and the cocktail server who served the boy was issued a written warning.
Pennsylvania casinos must step up responsible gambling efforts
This incident is not isolated. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently added 12 other individuals to its Involuntary Exclusion List. Two were listed for fraudulent gambling practices, and three for leaving children unattended in vehicles while gambling. The list now includes 1,422 individuals.
In 2022, the board reported similar cases of underage gambling at casinos in Pennsylvania. Two children, ages 11 and 13, were found gambling at Mount Airy Casino Resort. Additionally, an 18-year-old man was caught playing slot machines at two locations. That casino entered a consent decree and was fined $160,000.
