State fines Des Plaines’ Rivers Casino $25,000

Rivers Casino in Des Plaines has been fined $25,000 for offering awards to a small number of self-proclaimed gambling addicts in the Illinois self-exclusion gambling program.

Gene O’Shea, spokesman for the Illinois Gaming Board, said the board fined Rivers Casino after it admitted to sending promotional materials, authorizing cash advances, and issuing player cards to people on the state’s self-exclusion roster.

He said only four people received promotional material, while two cash advances were issued to one person. He added seven people on the state’s do-not-gamble roster received player reward cards.

However, O’Shea said, Rivers received credit from the gaming board and the minimal fine because the casino turned itself in to the gaming board. It’s the first time a casino turned itself in for violating the self-exclusion list.

“The $25,000 fine is the lowest fine the board has ever handed out for violating the self-exclusion list,” he said. “Overall, Rivers is pretty good at catching people on the list, and the board gave them credit for turning themselves in.”

He said Rivers violated the list in the first week of operation.

The self-exclusion program allows gamblers to ban themselves from all Illinois casinos. Per gaming board rules, each venue must design and enforce a system that detects participants who are in the casino and removes their names from mailing lists and marketing databases.