Poker Anorak / Editor / 21 February 2008 /

Or to put it another way, at what age did you become a responsible gambler? In America a teenage gambler has netted Borgata a record $105,000 fine

To the boardwalks of Atlantic city and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

A young tyro is playing poker. He's good enough to be rewarded with $1,100 worth of comps for being a "rated player", even though he lost $9,000 on the tables. (The bigger the loser the bigger the comps.)

He plays for a year at the casino. He's a high roller. He's a winner. He's a grinner. He's Mr Know It All.

He is also 19 years of age. Old enough, say you British readers. Indeed, given that Annette_15 won the WSOPE aged just 18, he may even be over the hill and past his prime.

But in the US of A, the land of the free, you need to be 21 to gamble, and then only in those States that permit it.

Age Of No Reason

The casino should have confirmed the player's age. And its failure to do so has resulted in a large fine.

It is the largest penalty ever against an Atlantic City casino for violating New Jersey's law prohibiting anyone younger than 21 years old from gambling.

The Casino Control Commission also fined Borgata $75,000 for allowing six teenagers to drink in one of its bars in 2006.

In America, the land of the free and home of the brave, you need to be 21 to drink legally in some bars.

Says Joseph A. Corbo Jr., the casino's lawyer: "Unfortunately, we didn't ID him until his last visit."

As for your youth, he was fiend $500 and for reasons not all that clear lost his driver's license for six months.

But is any of this fair? Granted, it is the law. But it seems arbitrary.

You can play the Lottery and casino in Montana at 18. In Delaware you can play the Lottery at 18 but must wait three years more to play casino.

In Maine you can play a slot machine at 16. In Missouri you need to be 21.

Why the difference? Perhaps Maine teenagers are smarter than those dunderheads in Missouri. Perhaps UK teens are not that stupid after all?

Maybe it's because casino gaming is usually associated with the availability of alcoholic beverages, most states put the minimum age for gambling in a casino at 21. But why not all of them?

Maybe it's because no-one is sure?

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