Plainridge Park casino fined $10,000 for alcohol violations
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has fined Plainville's Plainridge Park Casino $10,000 for violating alcohol regulations.
The casino, which is run by Penn National Gaming, was the subject of random and unannounced compliance checks by the gaming commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau in April and May.
During those checks, investigators recorded violations of alcohol storage requirements and service limits, the gaming commission said in a press release.
"During the period of April 19, 2016 to May 8, 2016, gaming agents observed seven incidents of noncompliance pertaining to alcohol storage requirements involving unsecured doors to refrigerators containing alcohol," the commission said. "During the period of April 24, 2016 to May 7, 2016, IEB gaming agents observed 13 incidents of noncompliance regarding alcohol distribution. In these instances, gaming agents observed the delivery of more than two drinks to an individual patron at a time, which is contrary to regulations adopted by the Gaming Commission."
Plainridge Park waived its right to a hearing and took steps to address the violations, including new training, signage at each casino bar explaining the rules, the termination of an employee, disciplinary talks with other employees and increased managerial oversight.
"Plainridge Park Casino is committed to responsible beverage service," Plainridge Park Casino Vice President and General Manager Lance George said in a statement. "We take full responsibility for the infractions and have taken proactive steps to remedy these types of unfortunate occurrences in the future."
Plainridge Park, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in June, pays 49 percent of its gambling revenue in taxes and has paid $81.9 million into the state coffers as of July.
It is in competition with the Twin River Casino just 11 miles away across the Rhode Island Border and has faced questions about its financial performance since state officials slashed their expectation for the gaming facility after its launch in June 2015.
The state initially expected to take in $105 million per year in tax revenues. With slots intake not meeting targets, that projection was lowered to $83 million.
But both Plainridge Park and gaming commissioner chairman Steven Crosby are sanguine about the casino's economic performance.
"I don't know anything about their internal arithmetic, but I know that they are generating more revenue per machine than most of the other casino launches in the last one or two decades," Crosby told MassLive last month. "So they're doing very well by industry standards. So I'm sure they're doing well, too."
Revenues have plateaued or dropped in recent months but are up since a low of $11.3 million in gross revenue in December. Gross gaming revenue for the casino fell to $12.3 million in June, after seeing $13.5 million in May.
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