MONTICELLO, NY — Earlier this month, Monticello Casino and Raceway (MCR) announced it would no longer permit anyone under 18 years of age to enter the facility. Before that the policy was that people younger than 18 were allowed in some non-gaming areas of the facility.

But that changed with the new policy on October 10, which was instituted with authorization from the New York State Gaming Commission.

MCR said in a press release, “As a responsible member of the gaming industry, Empire wants its guests to enjoy the entertainment value offered at MCR but is also committed to the prevention of underage gambling. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older to purchase lottery tickets, wager on horse races and play video gaming machines (VGMs) in New York.”

Prior to the implementation of this new policy, underage individuals, with adult supervision, were permitted in certain non-gaming areas of MCR. The purpose of this new policy is to serve as a deterrent to adults who are tempted to permit their underage children to join them on the gaming floor, as well as to remove the temptation of unauthorized gambling by youth who may attempt to sneak on the gaming floor and who are too young to recognize the risks associated with underage gambling.

MCR said it supports the New York Responsible Play Partnership’s “Under 18?/We Check ID/It’s The Law” educational initiative, and its employees have received training on underage gambling.

“We understand that there are social costs associated with underage gambling and unattended minors, and we support the development of education, awareness and prevention programs to address these concerns,” said Nanette Horner, Empire’s chief counsel, chief compliance officer and chair of Empire’s Responsible Gaming Committee.

Joseph D’Amato, chief executive officer of MCR, said, “The new policy should help remove the temptation of underage wagering within the facility.”

James Maney, executive director of the New York Council on Problem Gambling, said, “Research indicates that adolescents are at high risk for developing a gambling problem. Therefore, we applaud Empire in taking this significant step towards preventing underage gambling at their facility and raising awareness of underage gambling.”

A document prepared by the council said the brains of teenagers react differently to various situations than those of adults and teenagers. It says, “Teenagers drinking, smoking or gambling for the first time may appear to just be acting irresponsibly, but we have to understand that their brains are not wired the same as the adults attempting to enforce rules. Teenagers are making decisions that make sense to them—as best as their brains will allow them to reason, even when the decisions put them in dangerous situations.”

Go to knowtheodds.org for more information.