Despite threatening a number of sweepstakes and social casinos with authorized motion, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board not too long ago admitted that the company can’t do a lot in opposition to these operators.
The admission came in a meeting with the Pennsylvania Assembly Gaming Oversight Committee after a number of states thought of laws to ban sweepstakes casinos.
Under state regulation, the board has few choices for forcibly eradicating operators from the state.
“Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act (has) specific language hinders the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board from taking legal action against these sites,” PGCB chief counsel Steve Cook mentioned. “It is important to recognize the board is not a law enforcement agency, and as a result, we are powerless to bring a criminal case challenging anyone operating one of these illegal gambling operations. The board can, however, pursue administrative and civil remedies when appropriate.”
The concern has additionally arisen with so-called “skill games.” These slot-like video games may be discovered at comfort shops and different areas within the Keystone State. Courts have allowed the video games to remain in place primarily based on related interpretations that they aren’t excluded beneath gaming regulation.
The state supreme court docket is now contemplating the ability recreation concern.
The PGCB stays adamant that sweepstakes websites are unlawful and can proceed issuing cease-and-desist letters to the operators. That has been profitable up to now.
“Sweepstakes casinos, despite their misleading presentation, are in our assessment illegal online gambling,” PGCB enforcement counsel Cyrus Pitre mentioned. “To fight this, moderately than solely referring particular person circumstances to regulation enforcement, we’ve adopted a proactive method. The bureau investigates these websites they discovered unlawful. The Office of Enforcement Council points a stop and desist letter.
“The board has issued 18 letters with those operators ceasing their operations in the state. However, Pitre said that there are just too many sites to keep up with and there’s “a whack-a-mole scenario” with the board not capable of sustain with the variety of websites accessible to gamers.
Pitre additionally famous that the sweepstakes casinos haven’t any obligation to adjust to the state’s calls for. He mentioned lawmakers ought to both regulate the business or change state regulation to ban them formally. Several different states, together with New York, Maryland, and California, have filed lawsuits or sought laws banning sweepstakes casinos.
