A woman who had banned herself from Pennsylvania's casinos for life walked away with nothing after hitting a slot machine jackpot at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania — and was escorted off the property by state police.
The 69-year-old woman, from Asbury, New Jersey, was playing on the casino floor on Sunday, May 31 when she landed the winning spin. Under normal circumstances it would have been a moment to celebrate. Instead, it set in motion her removal from the building.
Flagged During the Jackpot Paperwork
Casino staff identified the guest while processing the win. Slot jackpots of $2,000 or more trigger a "handpay" and require a W-2G tax form, and it was during that paperwork that the casino realised the player appeared on the state's self-exclusion list.
The woman had voluntarily placed herself on Pennsylvania's lifetime self-exclusion list back in 2019, barring herself from gambling at every licensed casino in the state.
Escorted Out — and Facing a Citation
Pennsylvania State Police troopers responded to the casino and escorted the woman from the property. According to police, she will face a non-traffic citation for criminal trespass for entering a venue she was legally barred from.
State police did not disclose how much the jackpot was worth. Whatever the figure, the winnings were never hers to keep.
What Happens to the Forfeited Winnings?
Under Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) rules, any winnings collected by a self-excluded player are forfeited. Rather than going back to the casino, the money is turned over to the PGCB and used to fund the state's Compulsive and Problem Gambling programs.
Jackpots forfeited by self-excluded gamblers are handed over to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and put toward programs that help fight gambling addiction.
A Recurring Headache for Pennsylvania Casinos
The case is far from the first of its kind. State regulators have repeatedly fined casinos for letting self-excluded or banned individuals onto the gaming floor — in one earlier case, an excluded gambler reportedly played for nearly four days straight before being stopped. The self-exclusion program is designed to give problem gamblers a binding way to stay away, but enforcing it at the slot machine remains a challenge.
For the 69-year-old, the lesson was an expensive one: a jackpot hit, but nothing to take home.
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