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Casino Intercept Program Nets $806,000 in Child Support Arrears

January 29, 2013

BATON ROUGE - Since September 2011, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has intercepted more than $806,000 in casino winnings from 599 non-custodial parents for child support arrears.

"DCFS works with custodial and non-custodial parents to ensure that both parents fulfill their obligations to provide financial, medical and emotional support to their children," said DCFS Secretary Suzy Sonnier. "The casino intercept initiative has been a very successful tool for us in collecting overdue support."

Collections from the 18 participating casinos in the program are:

Casino Name	Total Collections
Amelia Belle	$46,775.91
Belle of Baton Rouge	$46,397.61
Boomtown Belle	$73,401.40
Boomtown Bossier	$30,863.54
Delta Downs	$24,540.21
Diamond Jacks	$41,691.35
Eldorado	$42,554.58
Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino	$85,403.55
Fair Grounds Race Course	$19,119.37
Harrah's New Orleans	$53,422.03
Hollywood	$106,771.93
Horseshoe	$21,329.04
Isle of Capri Lake Charles	$37,761.22
L'Auberge Baton Rouge	$20,454.57
L'Auberge du Lac	$41,294.08
Louisiana Downs	$12,218.87
Sam's Town	$48,636.77
Treasure Chest	$53,446.43

A pilot program was launched in September 2011 at Hollywood Casino in Baton Rouge. The first intercept was made only two days later from a non-custodial father in the amount of $1,995.40.

"In our work to assist families who rely on court ordered child support to provide for their children, DCFS uses every avenue available, like casino intercepts, to collect the more than $1.2 billion owed by non-custodial parents statewide," said Sonnier.

Former Senator Nick Gautreaux introduced the legislation in the 2010 session to collect child support from winnings of more than $1,200 at Louisiana casinos. Other states with similar laws include Mississippi, Indiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Colorado and West Virginia.

Failure to pay court-ordered child support can result in liens against the non-payor's property, seizure of assets, suspension of driver's, business, professional, hunting or fishing licenses, interception of state and federal tax returns, passport denial and contempt of court charges, among other enforcement actions.

DCFS Child Support Enforcement offers custodial parents several resources, including parent locator services, paternity establishment, establishment of child support orders, enforcement of orders and collection and distribution of child support.

Any parent or person responsible for a child can receive services from DCFS' Child Support Enforcement program. Those currently in the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) or Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KSCP) or who receive Medicaid automatically receive child support enforcement services. For more information or to apply for child support enforcement services, visit www.dcfs.la.gov/CSE. Search the database for Louisiana delinquent child support payors at www.dcfs.la.gov/delinquent.

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