Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Lawmakers Seek Hearing into Meadows Casino Theft

State Representatives Dom Costa and Robert Matzie, members of the House Gaming Oversight Committee, have asked the the chairman, Dante Santoni to hold a hearing to explore cheating at Pennsylvania's casinos. This comes after three men were arrested October 6th in connection with a theft at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino. State police charged 3 men, including a former Swissvale police officer, with manipulating a poker machine to have an error in its programming and displaying a "false jackpot" to collect $430 thousand in fraudulent payouts over the course of several visits to the casino.
Representative Costa, the former Pittsburgh Police Chief, says he was very surprised about the reports of theft, especially the amount, because when he toured the casino, he was assured "that these types of things basically are unable to happen."
Costa says he wants to hear from the Gaming Control Board if this was an isolated incident, how it occurred and what steps have been taken to prevent it from recurring.
Costa says he doesn't believe the board or investigators did anything wrong, but he wants to make sure this is an isolated incident.
Costa says Chairman Santoni has agreed to hold hearings but has yet to schedule a date.

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