PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Several Deadwood casinos have been financially penalized for violating state gambling laws earlier this year.
The South Dakota Commission on Gaming approved the fines on Tuesday.
The punishments included:
A $3,000 fine, with $2,750 suspended, for IGT. Its self-serve kiosk inside The Lodge at Deadwood casino on September 14 accepted three wagers on the football game between Black Hills State University and St. Thomas University. It is illegal to bet on games of South Dakota University or college teams. The wagers were voided within 10 to 15 minutes and IGT self-reported the violations on September 16.
A $3,000 fine, with $2,750 suspended, for DWD Resorts, owner of The Lodge at Deadwood casino. The casino’s staff caught the three illegal bets on Black Hills State University, retrieved the tickets, refunded the wagers, quickly notified IGT and then notified the commission.
A $3,000 fine, with $1,500 suspended, for Blue Sky Gaming, operator at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort. Blue Sky Gaming on August 20 failed to have required surveillance coverage of tables, count rooms or the cashier cage. Executive secretary Mark Heltzel told the commission there was a hardware problem and Blue Sky has since purchased new equipment.
A $100 fine for Colt Martin of Spearfish. The table games manager at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort was aware that, on July 16, dealers allowed bets on seven games of blackjack that exceeded the $200 table limit. He didn’t report the violations until July 26.
