Deadwood Gaming Regulators Expand Probe of Mustang Sally’s, Allege More Illegal Bets

The South Dakota Gaming Commission (SDGC), which oversees all gaming in Deadwood, the only when property where commercial message casino play is permitted in the state, is broadening its investigation into Mustang Sally’s.

The state gaming regulator inward Oct revoked the gaming permit for Mustang Sally’s after the tavern’s owner — Toby Keehn — admitted to allowing illegal procurator bets to live facilitated on his and other employees’ behalf. Jennifer Haefs, a Mustang Sally’s employee, told the military commission that she routinely placed sports bets for others patch on the job.

The SDGC believes the rogue betting extended farther at Mustang Sally’s. During its direction get together tomorrow, the commonwealth will go over evidence regarding allegations that another former Mustang Sally’s worker placed procurator sports bets for underage individuals.

While workings at Mustang Sally’s during the month of Aug 2022, Mathew Steinlicht placed multiple placeholder bets for multiple underage individuals,” the South Dakota Gaming Commission wrote inward its complaint against Steinlicht.

Proxy betting is the number of betting on someone else’s behalf. While sound inwards some parts of the world, proxy betting is prohibited in Deadwood. group A violation of the state’s proxy betting law of nature is a Class 6 felony punishable past up to ii years in prison and $4,000 inward fines.

South Dakota has IX classes of felony offenses. Class A, B, and C felonies convey possible lifetime sentences. The remaining sixer felony classes are numbered 1 to 6, with Class 6 being the to the lowest degree serious.

Keehn avoided prison house time, but along with forfeiting his gaming license, was impinge on with a $25,000 fine.

State Details Claims

Mustang Sally’s is no thirster a licensed Deadwood cassino after losing its gaming privileges. Though Keehn pleaded with the province for forgiveness, the owner expression “it definitely would ne'er occur again,” the SDGC revoked the casino’s operating permit.

Mustang Sally’s, ilk many Deadwood casinos, only if housed a little smattering of expansion slot machines. The Main Street property counted 30 one-armed bandit machines and II self-service sports betting kiosks when its permit was rescinded.

Mustang Sally’s has since been operating as a sports bar with simple eats and drinks the like burgers and wings, beers, and milkshakes. If Keehn hopes to regain gaming privileges at some head inwards the future, tomorrow’s SDGC hearing likely won’t facilitate his odds.

The complaint against Steinlicht was brought to the SDGC’s attending past Deadwood occupant Brandon Snyder, who claims to feature witnessed Steinlicht’s illegal actions. Steinlicht has already relinquished his item-by-item gaming permission that had allowed him to piece of work in a Deadwood casino. Steinlicht is otherwise invoking his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.

Underage Violations

The proxy betting constituent of Steinlicht’s alleged rapscallion sports betting facilitation is the more severe regulatory violation in the eyes of Deadwood gaming regulators. But his aiding of underage individuals to take a chance is also a crook act.

The SDGC says any licensee that permits someone under the eld of 21 to adventure inwards a licensed gambling casino inward the country commits a Class I misdemeanor.

A casino that allows underage memory access risks losing its gaming license. But since Mustang Sally’s has already lost its license, the land is expected to debate a personal penalty against Steinlicht.

A Class 1 violation explosive charge comes with a possible penalty of upwardly to a year in prison house and a $2,000 fine. That’s inward increase to the Class 6 felony bill he’s veneer for placeholder betting.