Garten said he’d begun meeting with commission staff over his concerns about a year ago, and questioned why this year’s settlement amounts were lower. The observation was based on seven years of settlement data the IGC included with its proposed fine schedules, obtained by the Capital Chronicle. Garten noted that for the past five years, Indiana’s casinos collectively paid more money in fines with each year - until 2023. Casinos sometimes fail to withhold winnings for delinquent child support, prevent underage gambling, prevent self-excluded former gamblers from getting back on the floor, and more - and are regularly fined for those violations. Indiana’s gambling industry, like most others, is heavily regulated.
Garten accused the agency of “just charging whatever the heck” it wants to casinos in the form of fines and fees. The committee previously left the IGC off its November meeting agenda, prompting fears the agency would be unable to fulfill basic regulatory functions. The blistering hour-long discussion came as the IGC attempted to obtain “safe harbor” for regulations otherwise threatened by year-end deadlines in a Garten-sponsored overhaul approved last session.
