...Gaming Commission director Gene McNary said the fines show the commission has no tolerance for casinos that fail to keep out those under 21.
"That should get the message across that the law is clear," McNary said. "They (casino companies) are going to have to make the effort to make sure underage gamblers don't get on."
McNary said the problem has gotten worse since November when Missouri voters approved a ballot measure eliminating the state's $500 loss limit. Commissioners directed an industry group, the Missouri Gaming Association, to spend the next month developing a plan to combat underage gambling.
The Missouri Gaming Commission fined Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. $60,000 for the following violation --
On May 20, a 19-year-old man was caught on the gambling floor, but only after he played table games and an electronic gaming device. A security guard, table game supervisor and dealer all failed to verify his age, the report said. He was caught when a cashier checked his ID.
That same day, a 20-year-old played blackjack and roulette, and was served alcohol before a cashier checked his identification, learned he was underage, and contacted security.
At Ameristar's Kansas City casino, a 19-year-old got onto the gambling floor on April 19 when a security guard checked his ID but failed to notice his age. The young man left, then was caught when he tried to re-enter.
The passage of Proposition A meant that casino patrons no longer had to show a card allowing them to gamble, a move that previously added another roadblock for those under 21 trying to sneak onto a gambling floor. McNary noted it was the gambling interests who pushed hard for passage of the measure, and it is up to them to keep out underage gamblers.
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