The Bensalem casino, consistency ranked No. 1 in revenue among Pennsylvania's 10 gambling halls, said Monday it was further beefing up security. Yet, the casino took measures last summer, when children were left in cars baking in high temperatures. Parx installed cameras in the parking lot, signage, and police patrols.
Parx spokeswoman Carrie Nork-Minelli said in an e-mail response, "We have the highest level of security and surveillance in place, thus identifying the situation in mere minutes on Saturday. The Parx security team vigorously patrols the parking lots every day to combat this type of occurrence, as well as any other inappropriate or unlawful behavior."
The casino, she said, works closely with the Bensalem Police Department in patrolling the parking lot.
Violators are permanently evicted from the property.
"This is the action of irresponsible adults, and we do our best to combat it with the highest level of security and surveillance possible," Nork-Minelli said.
Still, critics of the casino industry and counselors who treat addiction say that Parx's ongoing problem is reflective of gambling's addictive nature.
Jeffrey Beck, clinical director at the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, said 95 percent of those who gamble socially do not have a problem and use it as a form of entertainment and can control it.
"But for the other 5 percent, it becomes a problem, and often, a pathological problem," he said.
Six million to nine million Americans are pathological gamblers, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling in Washington.
Beck said the difference with Parx and Atlantic City casinos is that patrons "have a place to put their kids in Atlantic City. There, you have the Boardwalk, but with Parx, there really isn't [any place]."
