Live! Casino fined for proxy betting violations

Garance Limouzy June 28, 2024

SiGMA news

Live! Casino fined for proxy betting violations

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) imposed a $100,000 fine on Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia for breaching regulations related to proxy betting.

The violations occurred when several employees at Live! Casino Sportsbook accepted and placed 15 proxy bets totalling $287,421 over eight days for a customer who was not physically present at the casino. The customer claimed he would arrive later to settle for the bets, which were made via phone calls. These actions violated both casino policies and Pennsylvania state laws, including the Gaming Act, which mandates that wagers must be placed only by the individual making them. Moreover, the bettor never came to the casino to pay for either his bets or the resulting losses.

Following the violations, three sportsbook employees involved in accepting and placing these bets were terminated and had their licenses revoked. The patron responsible for these wagers has been banned from gambling in Pennsylvania and placed on the PGCB’s involuntary exclusion list, banning him from placing bets in Pennsylvania casinos.

Live! Casino Philadelphia’s response

In response to the violations, Live! Casino Philadelphia reiterated its commitment to compliance and transparency. The casino has implemented several measures to prevent future instances of proxy betting. They have for instance reduced the surveillance notification threshold for wagers to $10,000 to increase oversight. Personal cell phones are now banned within the sportsbook area, and employees have been issued company phones with restricted use. Training programs for staff have been implemented, with increased focus on recognising proxy betting and suspicious activities.

Previous regulatory challenges

Live! Casino Philadelphia has faced previous regulatory challenges, notably involving the recent arrest by Pennsylvania State Police of five individuals, including a table games dealer, implicated in a cheating scheme aimed at defrauding the casino of over $170,000.

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