Two Iowa casinos were fined Thursday for violations involving self-ban regulations.
Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko says the Diamond Jo Dubuque Casino was late in uploading the new list of those who banned themselves from gambling.”The facility uploaded that information to the state system — but they did so after eight days. The grace period is seven — and so this one came in one day late,” he says.
Ohorilko says casinos can be fined up to 20-thousand dollars for these violations. “Diamond Joe has had a really good track record of compliance and no prior incidents. And so the fine was issued at that minimum level at $5,000,” Ohorilko says.
He says the Wild Rose Casino in Emmetsburg had a similar self-exclusion violation. “This particular situation, Wild Rose had uploaded that information 11 days after receiving it, so it was four days after the grace period,” he says. He says the commissioners also took into account the history of the facility. “Wild Rose has a very good track record in terms of compliance with these self-exclusion rules and regulations and it was the first incident they’ve had in the last 365 days,” Ohorilko says.
The commissioners agreed on the minimum fine of $5,000 for Wild Rose.