A seasoned gaming regulator has joined Penn Entertainment to assist in leading the Compliance Committee for the Pennsylvania-based gaming operator.

Ronnie Jones was appointed as an independent, non-director member by Penn on Monday.  He will be a member of the company's Compliance Committee, which is chaired by Thomas Auriemma, another independent non-director.

From 2013 until 2020, Jones served as the chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB).  He also spent more than thirty years with the Louisiana State Police during his forty-five-year career in public service.

"Ronnie is a well-respected leader in the regulated gaming space, and with his background and experience we’re pleased to add him as an independent member of our Compliance Committee,” said Jay Snowden, PENN’s CEO and president. “Ronnie’s wealth of industry experience will be an asset to the important work of the committee, which is central to our longstanding commitment to gaming industry compliance and integrity.”

Ronnie Johns, who oversaw the LGCB from 2021 until June 2024, should not be confused with Ronnie Jones.

In 20 states, including Louisiana, Penn Entertainment owns and/or runs 43 racetracks and gambling establishments.  As of December 31, 2024, the business operated gambling facilities totaling about 2.5 million square feet, including 7,321 hotel rooms, 1,166 table games, and 41,725 slot machines.

Jones' Contentious Leave from LGCB 

Jones served as the Louisiana State Police's chief legislative coordinator at the period when the state approved video poker machines and riverboat casinos in 1991.  Governor Bobby Jindal (R) chose Jones to chair the LGCB in 2013, and Jones handled the state's decision to let casinos to relocate inland after multiple hurricanes destroyed the gaming boats.

Jones went on to win the International Masters of Gaming Law's 2017 North American Regulator of the Year award.

When Jones was not reappointed by the state Senate, he departed the LGCB in June 2020.  The Senate's rejection to reconfirm Jones was attributed to politics.

The Advocate covered reports that the effort to remove Jones off the LGCB was being spearheaded by state senator Karen Cater Peterson (D-New Orleans).

Peterson, a self-confessed gambling addict, made news in 2019 when he attempted to enter a casino after participating in Louisiana's voluntary, covert exclusion program.  Although Jones informed The Advocate he was not accountable for the news leak, Peterson was apparently incensed that the incident was made public.

After acknowledging that she had stolen $140,000 from the Louisiana Democratic Party, which she chaired, to pay off her gambling addictions, Peterson resigned in April 2022.  She admitted to wire fraud and was given a sentence of 22 months in a halfway house.

Committees for Compliance 

Since January 2021, Jones has been a consultant to Entain's Compliance Committee, a role he still holds, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The main duty of Penn Entertainment's Compliance Committee is to make sure that all local, state, and federal regulations are followed in the company's activities.  One of the most heavily regulated sectors is gaming, where businesses found to be in violation face steep fines and the potential loss of their operating license.

A company's code of conduct, the promotion of sustainable, responsible gaming, and the supervision of legal issues are other common responsibilities of compliance committees.