Pennsylvania seeks to streamline its casino self-exclusion program by proposing automatic reinstatement for banned patrons once their selected exclusion period ends. Currently, individuals must manually request removal from the exclusion list after their ban period expires.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) manages four self-exclusion programs covering casinos, iGaming, video gaming terminals, and fantasy sports. The casino program is unique in requiring formal reinstatement applications.

Key points about the proposed change:

• Eliminates the requirement for formal reinstatement applications
• Aims to prevent accidental trespassing violations
• Helps reduce administrative proceedings related to confiscated winnings
• Applies to one-year and five-year bans only (lifetime bans remain permanent)

Current program statistics:

• Total enrollments: 33,953
• Casino-specific enrollments: 23,242
• Gender distribution: 65% male
• Trespassing violations: 9,118 (6,418 by males)
• Age group most enrolled: 55 and older (8,657 people)
• Lifetime self-exclusions: 5,136
• Most common ethnicity: White (16,017 enrollees)

The PGCB states many participants mistakenly believe their casino access automatically restores after their ban period, leading to unintended violations and administrative complications. This proposal aims to align the casino program with other self-exclusion programs while maintaining responsible gaming protections.

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