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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 1, 2023 04:30 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Jimmy Dillon and Sen. Chris Gebhard |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Addressing the Problem of Unattended Minors at Casinos |
| In the near future, we intend to introduce legislation which would require casinos to make reasonable efforts to inform patrons against leaving unattended minors in their vehicle, hotel room, or other locations while using casino facilities. Our legislation adds several means to further discourage parents and guardians from taking their children to a casino facility and leaving them unattended. Lastly, the bill aims to assist individuals who violate a casino self-exclusion list with obtaining treatment for gambling addiction. The growth of gaming across the country has led to a corresponding increase in child safety issues, as a higher number of minors are being left alone when their parent or guardian is gambling. In 2022, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board identified more than 285 reported instances involving 464 children being left alone while guardians were in casinos. On average, this equates to over 5 instances every week. As gaming continues to grow, it is important that we implement mitigation efforts to reduce these occurrences, inform patrons and casino staff, and convey the seriousness of minors being left alone in vehicles and casino facilities. This bill is about protecting young Pennsylvanians and working together to encourage healthy gaming habits. Our casinos have generated essential revenue for our commonwealth and the intent is to work together as partners so that gaming can be better enjoyed by all parties. These changes will not impact casino operations; they are a commonsense response to an apparent safety issue. We are calling upon parents to include childcare as a necessary and required step when planning a trip to the casino. Our legislation would require casinos to take reasonable steps to caution patrons against leaving minors unattended. This will be done through signage, notice upon registration at a lodging facility on the premises, and via pamphlets or brochures. In addition, our bill would require casinos to establish policies and procedures in which their employees would be trained to identify and respond to unsupervised minors. Additionally, we have included language from Rep. Ortitay’s HB 150 to allow courts, in situations where a person violates a casino self-exclusion list, to direct an individual to be evaluated for a gambling disorder and whether there is a need for counseling or treatment as part of the sentencing. Currently, over 7,000 requests have been made to the Gaming Control Board for individuals to be placed on the self-exclusion list. Current violation will result in a trespassing charge, but this criminal penalty does nothing to help the person struggling with addiction. This change will allow Pennsylvanians that have chosen to remove themselves from the casino environment to have access to additional resources to assist in their recovery. Co-sponsors from the end of last session included Sens. Gebhard, Costa, Stefano, Cappelletti, Fontana, and Haywood. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB1021