In December, Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board added 17 individuals to its involuntary exclusion list, raising the total number of banned individuals to a staggering 1,262. Among the most disturbing cases was a man who left three young children in a car while he gambled at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. Similarly, another individual was banned for leaving a six-year-old child unattended in a car at Live! Casino Philadelphia. These cases highlight the variety of serious violations that lead to permanent bans, including fraud, unsafe gambling behavior, and neglect.
The Gaming Control Board’s continued vigilance in identifying individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others has become essential to keeping the state’s gambling venues safe and regulated. While such incidents are troubling, they underscore the importance of the exclusion program that works to shield vulnerable individuals from the harms of problem gambling.
New Controversial Proposal
In a move that sparked considerable debate, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently considered a proposed change that would have made it easier for self-excluded individuals to return to casinos. Self-exclusion is a voluntary program where individuals with gambling problems can temporarily ban themselves from all Pennsylvania casinos.
Currently, individuals must manually request their removal from the exclusion list when their self-imposed ban expires. However, under the proposed change, self-exclusions for casinos would have been treated like other forms of gambling, such as online gaming and video terminals, which automatically lift the ban once the exclusion period ends.
The proposal was met with strong opposition during a month-long public comment period. Over 40 comments from more than 30 commenters, including addiction experts, counselors, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, voiced concerns that the automatic removal would increase the risk of relapse. Many feared that the easy access to casinos would trigger those recovering from gambling addiction once their exclusion period ended.
After considering the public feedback, the Gaming Control Board decided against moving forward with the proposal. This decision was seen as a significant win for advocates of responsible gambling. Addiction experts like Jody Bechtold, CEO of The Better Institute, emphasized that the manual removal process acts as an essential “pause button” for individuals, giving them the chance to reflect on whether they are ready to re-enter the gambling environment. Bechtold argued that automatic removal would strip individuals of that critical moment of contemplation, increasing the likelihood of relapse.
What Next?
While the proposal to ease self-exclusion restrictions was not approved, it has sparked important conversations about the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s current gambling regulations. As Pennsylvania continues to refine its approach to responsible gambling, the state should certainly remain focused on providing the necessary tools and regulations to protect its residents from the dangers of gambling-related harm.