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SugarHouse Fined For Underage Gambling

by Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The state is fining SugarHouse Casino for incidents last year involving college athletes who were gambling underage.

In agreeing to the $100,000 dollar fine, SugarHouse General Manager Wendy Hamilton told the Gaming Control board Wednesday that college athletes under 21 were getting into the casino using sophisticated fake IDs.

"Our property became much more attractive to varsity athletes from nationally ranked universities at a certain point this year. And these are people who have access and have these IDs," said Hamilton.

Eight athletes were from the University of Pennsylvania, where VP for public safety Maureen Rush says teams were briefed over the summer.

"At the highest levels of -- the athletic director down -- coaches then communicated to all of the student-athletes that it was illegal to be entering a casino," Rush said.

The students faced discipline from the office of student conduct.

Rush says since the briefing, no Penn students have been cited for underage gambling.

Penn is the only university named in the consent agreement outlining the violations.

Hamilton told the Board the casino was implementing an 11-point plan that included retraining security officers and installing technology that can better detect fake IDs.

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