Three state-licensed casinos were fined for three different offenses at the recent meeting of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. The largest fine of $20,000 was levied against the Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque after a minor was allowed into the casino to gamble and also received a jackpot payment.
The casino also agreed to review its security procedures for allowing people into the casino. The Isle Casino Hotel in Waterloo was fined $10,000 after a server at the casino allowed a customer to get extra money while purchasing a drink with a credit card, and the customer then used the extra money to gamble. Bari Richter is the general manager of the casino.
“We obviously had a failure in procedures. We had a shift manager who did not have documentation that the employee was trained effectively,” Richter said. “We have reviewed our training procedures, we have added additional signature reviewal.”
Richter said the casino also plans to look at removing the ability for customers to purchase drinks with a credit card or debit card on the gambling floor. The Argosy Riverboat Casino in Sioux City was fined $3,000 after promotional materials from the casino where sent to a person who signed a self-ban from gambling.
Lance George is the casino’s general manager. “What occurred was disappointing, with that being said it was an error in procedure by a very good employee. We’ve had conversations with that employee and that matter has been resolved internally. I know that that employee and myself are looking forward to resolving this and moving forward,” George said.
He said the casino has instituted a procedure to ensure that this does not happen again. “A report is generated and sent to compliance, as well as myself, of any suspected accounts, so that we can review it on a daily basis going forward,” George said.
The fines were agreed to by each of the casinos and approved at the Racing and Gaming Commission’s meeting last week in Osceola.