HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it would hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 to gather evidence, including public comment, on the petition submitted by Downs Racing, L.P., operator of the slot machine casino at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, requesting authorization to conduct table games.

Downs Racing is the first casino operator to file a petition since this year’s passage of Senate Bill 711 on January 7th which permitted the addition of table games at Pennsylvania casinos.

HARRISBURG:  Pennsylvania casinos ushered in the new year by producing over $50 million more in gross revenue from slot machine play in January 2010 over the previous January, an increase of 39.24%

According to figures released today by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the nine slot machine facilities operating in Pennsylvania during January of this year collectively generated $184,214,974 in gross revenue compared to $132,303,649 in January of 2009 when seven casinos were in operation.

HARRISBURG, PA: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today placed four individuals on its involuntary Casino Exclusion List, an action that prohibits these individuals from entering or patronizing any casino in the Commonwealth.

Under the Gaming Act, the Board can place individuals on the Exclusion List if they are career or professional offenders or whose presence in a licensed facility would, in the opinion of the board, be inimical to the interest of the Commonwealth, of licensed gaming, or both.   The list is posted on the PGCB web site.

HARRISBURG, PA: A $16,000 fine was levied today by the Commonwealth’s gaming oversight agency on a western Pennsylvania casino operator for violations dealing with underage gambling.

The fine was part of a consent agreement between the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., operator of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The civil penalties, unanimously approved by the Board at its public meeting in Harrisburg, were for incidents that occurred at Rivers Casino in October and December of 2009.

HARRISBURG:  A $16,000 fine was levied today by the Commonwealth’s gaming oversight agency on a western Pennsylvania casino operator for violations dealing with underage gambling.

The fine was part of a consent agreement between the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., operator of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The civil penalties, unanimously approved by the Board at its public meeting in Harrisburg, were for incidents that occurred at Rivers Casino in October and December of 2009. 

HARRISBURG, PA: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today approved a number of table games regulations, including those that define the rules of some of the more popular games that will be offered later this year at Commonwealth casinos.

The adoption comes less than three weeks after passage of Act 1 of 2010 that authorized table games at existing Pennsylvania casinos. 

HARRISBURG, PA: Last week’s passage of Senate Bill 711, which approved table games for Pennsylvania casinos, also opened a 90-day period in which the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is authorized to accept applications from qualified resort hotels to be considered for a Category 3 slot machine operator’s license.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today unanimously voted to renew the Category 1 slot machine operator’s license of Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, operators of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

The seven member Board determined that Mountainview had fulfilled the obligations under its slot operator’s license and therefore qualified to have its license renewed.

HARRISBURG: Gaming Control Board Chairman Gregory C. Fajt said today that the passage of legislation that permits tables games at existing slot machine casinos in the Commonwealth signals a start to a complex and thorough process by the agency.

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it would hold a hearing on Wednesday, February 3rd to gather evidence, including public comment, on the renewal of the Category 2 slot machine operator’s license of Sands Bethworks Gaming, LLC, operators of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

The hearing will begin at 10:00 am at the Town Hall, 10 E. Church Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.