Published on: September 26, 2025, 09:50h.
Updated on: September 26, 2025, 10:38h.
- Valley Forge Casino Resort permitted a minor to gamble
- The minor was accompanied by his father
- The casino has settled with a $30,000 civil fine
A casino in Pennsylvania finds itself in serious trouble after allowing a 13-year-old boy to engage in gambling activities on slot machines for over six hours.
In what many consider a significant regulatory oversight, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has imposed a $30,000 fine on Valley Forge Casino Resort for allowing a minor to enter its gaming area.
According to the PGCB, on November 17, 2024, a father, aged 32, and his son, who turned 13 on December 20, 2010, entered the casino at 1:47 PM.
The investigation revealed that there were issues with the initial scanning of the father’s identification by the casino security. Another officer successfully scanned the ID after the first attempt failed.
“After the successful scan, the second security staff member returned the ID to the father, mistakenly believing that the father had presented the identification himself and subsequently allowed both to access the gaming floor,” the PGCB report stated.
Minor Involved in Gambling Activities
The consent agreement from the PGCB’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC) detailed that the father and son spent over six hours gambling at the Valley Forge Casino until approximately 7:50 PM. While the son predominantly observed his father play, he also participated by inserting cash into slot machines, cashing out vouchers, and engaging actively in gaming alongside his father.
According to the OEC findings supported by casino surveillance footage, the father provided the 13-year-old with $600 in cash for gambling. The teenager ultimately inserted a total of $1,040 into various slot machines during the six-hour period, which included the initial $600 and $440 from his winnings. The surveillance footage recorded the minor playing five different slot machines and gambling a total of $1,640 throughout the visit.
The casino staff offered the minor a soda and his father a beer, although there are no indications that the 13-year-old consumed alcohol during their stay in the casino.
The following morning, around 8:16 AM, when the father and son attempted to re-enter the casino, they were denied access after proper ID scanning indicated the minor was underage. This prompted an investigation by the casino, which subsequently discovered the previous day’s violations.
Actions Taken by Valley Forge Casino
Following the incident, Valley Forge Casino Resort’s management promptly informed the Bureau of Casino Compliance and issued “final written warnings” to the two security personnel involved, bypassing several levels of the casino’s disciplinary protocol.
In addition, all security staff underwent mandatory refresher courses, and other employees who were involved with the underage individual received warnings as well.
Boyd Gaming has settled the $30,000 civil fine, with $2,500 designated for state administrative costs. The majority of the funds will contribute to the General Fund, which supports numerous public services.
The father pleaded guilty to unlawful permit of a minor to gamble, while the juvenile faced charges related to his underage gambling activities. As he is a minor, his legal proceedings remain confidential.