The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has seized about $107,000 from the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City that was won from underage gamblers and others who had put themselves on self-exclusion lists designed to help problem gamblers.
The state has also fined Borgata’s online partner Bwin.party $81,000 for violations of the self-exclusion protocols.
The cases for Borgata involved gamblers under the age of 21 or gamblers who had been allowed to gamble at the casino sooner than allowed under self-exclusion time periods.
Borgata officials said they take compliance seriously and that casino personnel discovered the violations and reported them to the state.
“Borgata’s team members are well trained on responsible gaming policies, and we approach these requirements with the utmost importance,” said Marcus Glover, the casino’s president in a press release. “Borgata consistently self-reports to uphold our operational integrity, as indicated by the instances of forfeited funds rather than fines. Our company’s record of supporting regulatory efforts is unmatched and we will always strive to uphold the highest standards, not only in compliance, but in customer care and harm minimization.”
In Bwin.party’s case, online gamblers who had signed up for a five-year self-exclusion were allowed to gamble after only one year. The company was fined for incorrectly processing request to be removed from the lists.
The two companies identified 15 accounts in violation, terminated them, and Borgata reported the instances to the state according to the Associated Press.
The state also reported some other similar cases dating back to 2004. According to the AP, Bally’s forfeited $1,398; Caesars forfeited $3,530 and Hard Rock was fined $1,000 for underage gambling. Gaming Innovation Group was fined $2,000 for an internet gambling rule violation, and SG Digital was fined $1,000 for violating self-exclusion rules.
