BetMGM under fire in Pennsylvania for allowing self-excluded gambler to play

BetMGM has been hit with a large fine in Pennsylvania after the Keystone State discovered that the casino had allowed a self-excluded player to gamble. The penalty, amounting to $260,905 is one of the largest to be handed down to an online gambling company in the state.

BetMGM fined $260,905 in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has taken the transgression seriously, arguing that Pennsylvania’s self-exclusion list had to be upheld strictly and any mistakes were the responsibility of the operators.

The state’s self-exclusion list is a way for people who experience distress or even harm associated with their gambling behavior to steer clear from any form of regulated gambling in Pennsylvania, and it has been seen as an important step in nurturing a healthier gambling ecosystem.

In detailing the case, the PGCB explained that the individual in question was able to access BetMGM’s sites in 152 instances. The onus is on the operator to ensure that a self-excluded person is not able to access their assets.

The regulator did not go into more detail as to how the person in question was able to access the online gambling products offered by BetMGM despite being featured on the self-exclusion list.

The PGCB also used the issuance of this fine to enact enforcement action against other regulated gambling operators in the state. Rush Street Gaming received a much smaller fine of $13,800 for failure to file a Principal License renewal application for its Chief Financial Officer.

More fines and Involuntary Exclusion List enforcement action

In the meantime, Stadium Casino Westmoreland RE, which operators Live1 Casino Pittsburgh, was hit with a $7,500 fine for using revoked software on 11 of its slot machines. The PGCB has further placed more individuals on the state’s Involuntary Exclusion List due to accidents involving leaving children unattended while the people in question ventured into various casino properties to gamble.

The regulator has championed the "Don’t Gamble with Kids" campaign in a bid to raise awareness about the issue that has seen people leave minors unattended across the state to gamble. The list, though, has been deployed as a counter-measure and it already has more than 1,280 individuals listed there.

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