PA Gaming Control Board Seeks Public Comment On Draft Self-exclusion, Exclusion Regulations

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today opened a 10-day public-comment period on draft regulations that will protect people with gaming-related problems or potential gaming-related problems by allowing them to exclude themselves from Pennsylvania gaming facilities.

The regulations would also give the Board the power to exclude individuals whose presence at a licensed gaming facility would be contrary to the interests of the Commonwealth.

“Our top priority is protecting the people of Pennsylvania,” said Board Chairman Tad Decker. “By creating self-exclusion lists, we can keep people who have gaming problems from entering gaming facilities in the Commonwealth. This, in turn, will help protect these people, their families and Pennsylvania residents as a whole. Separately, the exclusion list will allow the Board to prevent people such as career criminals from entering Pennsylvania gaming facilities.

“Self-exclusion and exclusion are successful strategies employed by gaming regulators and gaming facilities across the country,” Decker added.

Separately, the Board launched a public-comment period on draft regulations covering the credentials of gaming-facility employees.

Both comment periods are for 10 business days ending March 31, 2006.

“Receiving and responding to public input are important components of the Board’s work,” Decker said. “We have benefited tremendously from the comments we have received on previous draft regulations and look forward to hearing from people on these proposals, as well.”

Visit the PGCB Web site, www.pgcb.state.pa.us, and click on the “Regulations” button to view a copy of either set of draft regulations.

Written comments must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2006, and should be addressed to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, Pa., 17106-9060, Attn: Public Comments.

In a separate regulatory decision, the Board today also approved regulations governing hearings and appeals. The regulations were previously put out for a public-comment period. The regulations approved today will also be available on the Board’s Web site.

Under Act 71 of 2004, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is responsible for licensing 14 gaming facilities across the state. The Board has jurisdiction over every aspect of the authorization and operation of slot machines in the Commonwealth.