Penn National Gaming Will Test New System To Limit Betting

Penn National Gaming will test a new system to help gamblers set limits on their betting at the slot parlor it is building in Plainville.

The voluntary ``play management'' system would allow gamblers to set a dollar amount they intend to spend during a single session, day or month.

On-screen reminders would then provide regulator notifications as gamblers approach, reach and exceed their limits. At each point, the gambler would have to actively acknowledge the message to continue gambling.

State regulators expect to make the new system mandatory for all Massachusetts gambling facilities.

Penn National Gaming's Plainridge Park Casino is expected to open next June, the first facility to open under the state's 2011 casino law, which allows for up to three regional resort casinos and one slot parlor.