MGC’s IEB Fines MGM Springfield $45K for Underage Gambling

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) announced that it has sanctioned MGM Springfield with a $45,000 fine for multiple incidents that led to the casino allowing access to the gaming floor and gaming to persons under the age of 21.

Financial Penalty Accepted

The financial penalty was imposed after the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) of the regulatory body assessed the violations, the MGC stated in its press release, outlining that MGM Springfield agreed to pay the civil administrative penalty as a result of the violations.

Commenting on the development, IEB’s senior enforcement counsel, Kathleen Kramer, expressed appreciation that the casino self-reported many of the instances and then collaborated for the implementation of prevention measures.

“We appreciate that MGM Springfield self-reported many of these instances and their ongoing cooperation to put enhanced practices into place to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Kramer said, stressing that “the IEB will continue to monitor MGM Springfield’s compliance with the gaming laws and regulations and the remedial steps they have undertaken” going forward.

MGM Springfield was penalized for multiple incidents which occurred between June and December last year. The incidents led to underage persons being able to access the casino’s gaming floor and even gamble.

Many of the incidents MGM Springfield self-reported to the state’s regulator and then showed full cooperation with its enforcement bureau. Going forward, the casino put in place a number of remedial steps to prevent similar occurrences.

The measures implemented by the casino include delivering enhanced training for its staff, installing additional railings to separate the gaming floor, as well as plans to install an additional security podium for the gaming area.

The gaming regime in Massachusetts considers the protection of underage individuals within the casino environment among its highest priorities and, following the multiple incidents, the IEB decided to impose the penalty.

Other MGM Springfield Violations

In April, the MGC said it would consider action against MGM Springfield after the casino was found to have accepted two illegal bets placed on collegiate sports in February. The bets were placed on basketball games involving Harvard University but smaller in-state collegiate events are illegal to bet in the Bay State.

At that time, MGM Springfield claimed that the wagers were accepted by mistake and that the casino was unaware of them, and provided the MGC with the exact dates the wagers had been accepted. Both wagers were accepted as a result of the university being marked incorrectly as an out-of-state institution.