Casino Self-Exclusion Costs New Jersey Woman Her Slots Jackpot in Pennsylvania

^{Between $400,000 and $500,000 in casino winnings are forfeited every year from gamblers on the self-exclusion list in Pennsylvania. (Photo: Hotaik Sung / Alamy)}

A 69-year-old woman from Asbury, New Jersey, thought she was a lucky winner when she hit a slots jackpot at the Hollywood Casino in Grantville, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. But those dreams were quickly dashed when casino officials realized the big winner had previously banned herself from Pennsylvania casinos for life.

According to a public report released by Pennsylvania State Police, troopers were alerted to the situation at approximately 3:30 pm on Sunday, May 31.

Self-Excluded Winner Charged with Trespassing

The casino’s surveillance staff identified the winner, who has not been publicly named, as self-excluded from casinos in the state for life and called the police. Troopers confirmed the information and found that she had been added to the self-exclusion list in 2019. At that point, the troopers escorted the woman from the premises and informed her that she would receive a citation for trespassing.

Neither the casino nor law enforcement officials have noted the amount of the jackpot in any public documentation.

Under Pennsylvania law, self-excluded individuals cannot collect casino winnings regardless of the amount. Individuals who choose to self-exclude from casinos are not allowed on casino premises, collect any casino winnings, or recover any losses if they do manage to gamble. Frequently, those on self-exclusion lists are able to gamble for at least some time before being detected by casino officials, with large, hand-paid wins being a common reason why a casino might check an individual’s status.

The woman voluntarily placed herself on the list in 2019, presumably recognizing at that time that she had a problem. Finding herself back in a casino seven years later, hitting a jackpot, illustrates exactly why the self-exclusion system exists and why enforcement matters.

PGCB Collects Hundreds of Thousands from Self-Excluded Gamblers

According to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, individuals may choose to self-exclude themselves from casinos in the state for one year, five years, or for life. Self-exclusion lists such as these are seen as a key responsible gambling tool, as they allow individuals who realize they are suffering from a compulsive gambling issue to take a long break or cut their access to most gambling venues permanently.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) offers four different forms of self-exclusion. Gamblers may ban themselves from any or all of those lists, including casinos, iGaming, video gaming terminal (VGT) venues, and fantasy contests. The PA Lottery also has a self-exclusion program for its online sales portal.

Situations such as the one at the Hollywood Casino happen more often than many gamblers might think.

In February 2025, a man forfeited a $57,000 jackpot from Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania after it was found that he had placed himself on the lifetime casino self-exclusion list for the state. Like the woman in Sunday’s incident, that man was also charged with trespassing due to his banned status.

According to the PGCB, it collects an average of $400,000 to $500,000 annually from casino winnings forfeited by winners who had excluded themselves from gambling activities. The PGCB is required to use those proceeds on programs designed to fight gambling addiction.