The problem of Pennsylvania adults leaving their children unattended to go gamble is on the decline from 2022 but remains an issue for both casinos and regulators.
Last week, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) banned four people from entering casinos after they were caught leaving their children unattended in their cars to go gamble. The four patrons left children as young as six and as old as 13 unattended for periods of time ranging from 39 minutes to 1 hour and 44 minutes.
This is the third set of individuals banned by the PGCB this year following incidents in both March and April. Last year, dozens of adults were similarly placed on the involuntary self-exclusion list.
These individuals might be worrying about more than just getting banned from state casinos, as they could potentially face criminal charges. Additionally, there is a chance Child Protective Services get involved.
They are far from the only individuals in the state who have chosen the slots over watching their kids. So far this year, the state has noted 126 incidents of kids being left unattended.
The number sounds big, but it is a decline from this point in the year in 2022, when there were 197 incidents.
The PGCB has spent significant time and effort addressing the issue over the past couple of years, going so far as to launch a PR campaign called “Don’t Gamble with Kids” in 2022.
