Oneida Casino explains self-ban policy after Pennsylvania jackpot case – WBAY

ONEIDA NATION, Wis. (WBAY) – A New Jersey woman recently won a jackpot after self-banning herself from a Pennsylvania casino. The 69-year-old was denied her winnings from a slot machine and cited for trespassing.
Similar incidents have taken place at Oneida Casino and Hotel, but never with someone winning a big jackpot after self-banning, or being banned by staff, because of a problem.
In most cases, security attempts to catch people before they’re able to play any machines or sit down at a table, the CEO said.
Inside the casinos, there are signs addressing those who might have a gambling addiction, with information on how to receive help, along with a number to call.
Players Club members who self-ban will not have access to their accounts for the duration of that ban.
Someone who does self-ban will need to fill out the proper paperwork and sign off on the stipulations that any winnings won’t be paid out.
Oneida Casino has paid out jackpots, but so far, none of its big winners have violated the rules the way the woman in Pennsylvania did.
“We have people that will win jackpots here while they’re banned and the same thing would happen here that we would not allow them to get paid that jackpot,” said Taryn Webster, Oneida Casino and Hotel CEO.
“A majority of the time our systems are capable of identifying those people when they drive onto the property so that we’re able to stop them at the door,” Webster said.
It’s estimated that roughly 333,000 people suffer from some sort of gambling addiction just in Wisconsin. Most carry an average debt of $45,000 to $58,000.
“We hear from people in every county in the state, so definitely Northeast Wisconsin has its share of people who are gambling too much,” said Rose Blozinski, the Executive Director of Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling.
Rose Blozinski believes the self-ban is a critical step towards recovery. 
“I think it can be very important when people are ready to take those steps,” said Blozinski. “I know people, having been around a long time, I know people who self-banned themselves, and that’s what has helped keep them in recovery for many years.”
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