5-year-old played slots at Philly casino, complaint says

A 5-year-old sat with his grandfather "taking turns" at a slot machine in Philadelphia Park Casino, according to a complaint pending before state gambling regulators.

Two other children at separate times were on the floor of the casino in 2007 as their parents played the slots or blackjack nearby. A 4-year-old sat in a man's lap while the patron played a machine, and a 2-year-old was on the gaming floor, according to gambling board documents.

The 2-year-old walked with her mother past an assigned security officer who was "conversing" with another officer. The child passed "within several feet" of the officers, documents allege. Under the state's gambling law, patrons must be 21 to play slots and 18 to be on casino floors.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board considered the complaint at a hearing Thursday but reached no decision. It is the first complaint about young children on slots floors in Pennsylvania, according to the board.

To address the complaint, the gambling board's staff suggested requiring Philadelphia Park to pay for a $21,000 educational program in public schools about problem gambling, said gambling board spokesman Richard McGarvey.

But Sanford Rivers, a board member from Churchill, questioned whether it is government's role, "as opposed to parents' responsibility," to stop kids from going to casinos.

Board members directed staff to recommend another measure, because an educational program wouldn't necessarily prevent toddlers from sitting at slot machines again.

Philadelphia Park officials did not return several phone calls. The horse-racing track and casino is located in Bucks County.

"Some might think the notion of a grandpa and a 5-year-old taking turns pulling the lever on a one-armed bandit is humorous or even cute. It's not," said Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, based in Harrisburg.

"It's a very serious matter -- a scenario that can even put the child at risk for future gambling compulsion," Geer said. "That Philadelphia Park has been caught ... allowing children on their casino floor is troubling and worthy of prosecution. But is it surprising? No."

McGarvey said there were two other civil complaints of underage patrons on casino floors -- another at Philadelphia Park and one at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. But they involved teens, not young children, according to the complaints. McGarvey said the board has received no other complaints involving toddlers.

Philadelphia Park was the second of seven casinos to open in the state. The board granted 11 casino licenses in December 2006 and could grant another for a racetrack to be built in Lawrence County. The board could license two resorts for slots parlors.

By the end of 2007, slots had produced more than $590 million in tax collections and $550 million in licensing fees. The Rendell administration recently announced property tax cuts averaging 10 percent this year because of gambling revenue.