Politics

Mo. Casino Industry 'Doing A Good Job' At Keeping Minors Out

St. Louis Public Radio | By Marshall Griffin,

Marshall Griffin

Published September 26, 2012 at 5:40 PM CDT

The Missouri Gaming Association told regulators Wednesday that it is trying hard to keep underage patrons from getting into the state’s casinos.

Mike Winter, the association's Executive Director, told state gaming commission members that the use of fake ID's is the most common way minors try to get in – but there have also been cases where they tried to climb over walls, blend in with crowds, and in a few cases, sneak in with the help of their parents. Barrett Hatches is chairman of theMissouri Gaming Commission.

“I think (the industry is) doing a good job, but they certainly can do better," Hatches said. "They’re really focused on it, it shows a commitment for it…I wouldn’t say it’s a really, really big problem, but any minor on any floor is a problem.”

Winter says they caught around 850 minors trying to sneak into the state’s casinos during Fiscal Year 2012, which ended in June.

“When you enter one of our casinos, you have to go through a turnstile, and there are security officers there," Winter said. "They are very diligent in looking for fake, altered, fraudulent identification.”

Winter says they know of 44 minors who succeeded in sneaking into a Missouri casino during the last fiscal year. He also told commission members that Missouri’s casinos do a good job of disciplining personnel who are not vigilant towards keeping minors out or who deliberately let them in.

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Marshall Griffin

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.

See stories by Marshall Griffin

Marshall Griffin

St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.