The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) levied a fine of $30,000 on a casino operator on 18 August 2011 for a regulatory violation. The casino operator had violated the regulations by contributing to an individual’s illegal campaign. This fine was a result of an agreement between the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Board and the operator of Parx casino and Racetrack in Bucks County, the Greenwood gaming and entertainment Inc.
For permitting two different individuals on the PGCB’s list to enter and gamble in the casino, the Greenwood Gaming was fined $15,000 on different occasions in 2009 and 2010. In the Self-Exclusion program of PGCB, the individual gamblers are assisted to choose to ban themselves from gambling in the casinos in Pennsylvania State. Once a person is included in the Self-Exclusion list, the casinos and other gaming facilities must refuse any trading or wagers from these persons and deny all gaming privileges.
Fine Levied for Violating Prohibition on Contributions
In accordance with another consent agreement, $15,000 fine was levied against Tommy Rosenfeld of New York. He violated the prohibition on contributions to any campaigns toward any election to the public office in the State of Pennsylvania. Mr. Rosenfled, the owner of CanAm Pennsylvania Regional Centre LLC, New York, had made a contribution of $15,000 in October 2010. He had submitted an application for a gaming principle license, around 6 months prior to this contribution.
According to the agreement, after applying for the license, a person is prohibited to contribute any money or kinds in any other form to a political party, an individual candidate, or any group which is organized to support a candidate for election in a public office. As Mr. Rosenfled came under this category, he was fined. The contribution money was later refunded to him.
Working of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The PGCB was established in 2004 under an act popularly known as Race Horse Development and gaming Act. The board’s job is to oversee and regulate all aspects of the gaming industry and casino in the Pennsylvania state .The ten casinos in operation in the Commonwealth have generated $5.5 billion in tax revenue and license-fee revenue since November 2006 when the first casino opened.
This money generated is being used to reduce the property tax burden of the homeowners of Pennsylvania and for funding the Commonwealth’s horse racing industry. A portion of this money also goes as grants for fire companies, sewer/water projects, and for establishing a new system of tax revenue for local governments for the community projects.
Information on all aspects of the PGCB can be found on their official website. The visitors can view videos of Board meetings on operations and working of the PGCB at this website. They can obtain information regarding any gambling problem, its identification, and solution. They can look for future schedule of meetings, go through past meeting details, and seek assistance in related matters of gaming. There is also an interactive map of casino locations in Pennsylvania which can be assessed on this website.
The next meeting for PGCB is scheduled for September 14, 2011, in Harrisburg, Hearing Room 1 of the PUC–Keystone building. Meeting starts at 10:00 am and everybody is invited.