SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)– The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has fined MGM Springfield for multiple violations involving under age patrons gambling at the facility.

The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) of the MGC settled with MGM Springfield on a a $45,000 civil administrative penalty.

According to a news release sent to 22News from the MGC, several incidents of persons under the age of 21 having access to the gaming floor and gaming occurred from June through December 2022 at MGM Springfield. The casino has self-reported many of the incidents and worked with the IEB’s investigators.

“We appreciate that MGM Springfield self-reported many of these instances and their ongoing cooperation to put enhanced practices into place to prevent similar incidents in the future. The IEB will continue to monitor MGM Springfield’s compliance with the gaming laws and regulations and the remedial steps they have undertaken,” said Senior Enforcement Counsel Kathleen Kramer.  

In addition to the fine, MGM Springfield has taken steps to prevent future instances including enhanced training, additional railings separating the gaming floor, and plans to install an additional security podium for the gaming area. 

“We installed an additional feet of railing in front of that and I think partially as a result of that, you see that the numbers in February came down dramatically,” said Gus Kim, Vice President and Legal Counsel for MGM Springfield.

However Commissioner Bradford Hill said the number of underage people having access to the gambling floor is still very high, “I want to be very clear these numbers are pretty disturbing still, to me as one individual commissioner.”

“Families go there for the very different amenities there. You have the open plan, you have more challenges but the good news is that you are working on those mitigation steps and we’ll just have to monitor,” said Cathy Judd-Stein, Commission Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

MGM Springfield is also looking into putting railings around the entire gambling floor, however, they are consulting with fire safety experts to see if that’s possible.