On the day that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced that Sands Bethworks Gaming LLC had been fined US$48,000 for permitting underage patrons to gain entrance to the Sands Resort Casino Bethlehem gaming floor and either gamble on slot machines, consume alcohol, or both, it also announced the implementation schedule for table games at the state’s casinos. The schedule includes an eight-hour test period of live betting at each casino to permit Board personnel to determine if the casino is prepared in all aspects to open its table game operation.

Kevin O'Toole, Executive Director of thePGCB, presented the schedule and stated that casinos can go live with table games two days later after allowing for one "down day" to evaluate the test including meetings of PGCB and casino personnel to discuss the results of the test period. There will be three opening teams consisting of Board staff that can allow for the testing of table game operations simultaneously at three casinos in a region, and that the test schedule could permit the first group of casinos to fully offer its table games compliment on July 8th.

The test date schedule is as follows: Presque Isle Downs Casino (Erie), The Rivers Casino (Pittsburgh) and The Meadows Racetrack and Casino (Washington) on Tuesday 6 July; Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs (Wilkes-Barre), Mt. Airy Resort Casino (Poconos) and Hollywood Casino At Penn National Racecourse (Grantville) on Sunday 11 July; Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack (Chester), Parx Casino (Bensalem), Sands Casino Resort (Bethlehem) on Friday 16 July.

O’Toole commented, "The best news in this schedule is that our work will provide all nine casinos the opportunity to begin offering table games within a 10 day window.” He added that the roll out schedule was developed to assure that no casino would make table games available before another competitor casino in their particular region of the state, while meeting the collective expectation of the casinos to offer table games in July.

In addition to the live test periods, O’Toole also informed the casinos that the opening teams will be conducting table game equipment inspections and a thorough review of surveillance coverage at least 3 to 5 days prior to the test dates. Over the next few weeks the PGCB will continue its work performing background investigations on the thousands of new employees to be hired at the casinos as the result of expansion into table games, approving new floor plans, continuing the training of PGCB and Pennsylvania State Police personnel, and finishing the writing and adoption of needed regulations. (E-06.11.10)

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