Iowa Casino Lets Self-Banned Player to Gamble and Gets $3,000 Fine

Things could have gotten worse for the Iowa casino that allowed a self-banned player to gamble, but the company ended up paying a $3,000 fine.

According to local gambling news, the man had decided to sign a self-ban in 2009, after playing at Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona. The ban should apply statewide, but this year the Mystique Casino in Dubuque welcomed him back to the casino tables and gave him a player’s card.

Under American gambling laws, gambling venues can receive fines up to $20,000 for violating terms of the self-exclusion program, but it only cost the Mystique $3,000 to get away with it.

“He gave us an incorrect name, we checked the name against the database and it came back without checking the I-D,” the casino’s chief financial officer told state authorities.

Problems with the self-exclusion program

Gambling facilities in the state of Iowa make an annual profit of around $1 billion. While it is not uncommon for casinos across the US to allow self-banned players to gamble, the Racing and Gaming Commission claims the Mystique has not had such problems this year.

But it’s not just the casinos that can get into trouble for breaking the self-exclusion pact. Gamblers themselves may face consequences, including being charged with trespassing for visiting casinos.