Hollywood Casino in Pennsylvania reopens on Christmas Day

Published on: December 25, 2023 at 07:22 pm.

Last updated on: 25 December 2023 at 07:22 h.

Hollywood Pennsylvania Casino at Pennsylvania National Raceway was temporarily closed for approximately 17 hours starting Sunday night due to a technical glitch.

It started just before 7:15pm on Christmas Eve when visitors were asked to leave the games venue.

It wasn’t until 12:42 p.m. Monday, midday on Christmas Day, that the Grantville, Pennsylvania, casino reported its reopening and guests were able to return to the gaming complex.

No details were revealed about the reason for the holiday closure. This was blamed on a “technical issue,” according to a regional news site PennLive.com.

Whatever the difficulty, PennLive reported that it was not about the police. Therefore, law enforcement did not have to respond to the casino when the property was temporarily closed.

No details about the closure were provided in a scattered social media post.

“Even though we were closed briefly due to a technical issue, we wanted to make sure the casino is currently open,” the casino’s Facebook post read at 12:42 p.m.

The statement added: “Thank you for your patience and have a nice day!”

Some visitors complained about the closure, according to posts on social media.

Officials also told PennLive that the casino had fewer employees working for the holiday due to Christmas, which apparently made the process of reopening the facility slower.

The Hollywood Casino was scheduled to remain open through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The casino’s gaming floor is open regularly 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The casino floor includes more than 1,750 slot machines, as well as table games such as blackjack, poker, craps and roulette.

The last arrest

In a separate incident, a 45-year-old man was arrested earlier this month after vandalizing an elevator at a Hollywood Casino.

An unnamed Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, resident lost money while betting and became angry while visiting the gaming property on December 9.

In a fit of rage, he entered the elevator and then kicked the elevator doors repeatedly. The elevator got stuck between floors, trapping the man until firefighters were able to rescue him in Grantville, Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania television station WHTM.

Authorities did not immediately determine the charges against him.

Previous fines

Also, last month, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) fined Hollywood Casino at Pennsylvania National Raceway $40,000 after minors allegedly entered the gaming floor and gambled during three incidents.

Both minors were under 21 years old.

The fine was imposed on the gaming operator, Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association LLC.