Underage Gambling Nets Two Missouri Casinos A Heavy Fine

The Missouri Gaming Commission came down hard on two casino companies on Wednesday. The two companies were found to have allowed underage gambling, an offense that always raises red flags of gaming regulators around the country.

The two companies, Pinnacle Entertainment and Ameristar Casino Inc., were caught by the Gaming Commission. Pinnacle was fined $60,000 and Ameristar was fined $25,000. Ameristar believes that the fine was a little overboard.

Although the companies do not agree with the fines, the Gaming Commission wanted to make it very clear that underage gambling will not be accepted. They are hoping these fines alert other casino operators that they are watching for underage gambling.

"That should get the message across that the law is clear," said Gaming Commission Director Gene McNary, "They are going to have to make the effort to make sure underage gamblers don't get on."

Other states have imposed similar fines in the past couple of months. Atlantic City, the gambling mecca located in New Jersey, regularly has their gaming commission looking out for underage gambling. It is an offense that most states take very seriously and the fines in New Jersey have even been higher than the ones just handed down in Missouri.

In November, Missouri voters approved the elimination of a $500 loss limit. Since that time, McNary claims that the underage gambling has become more prevalent in the state.

October 1, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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