ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Substantial fines were levied against two casino companies for allowing underage people inside Missouri casinos.The Missouri Gaming Commission on Wednesday fined Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. $60,000 and Ameristar Casino Inc. $25,000. A Pinnacle spokeswoman declined comment. An Ameristar spokesman called the fine “excessive.”But Gaming Commission director Gene McNary said the fines show the commission has no tolerance for casinos that fail to keep out those under 21.“That should get the message across that the law is clear,” McNary said. “They (casino companies) are going to have to make the effort to make sure underage gamblers don’t get on.”McNary said the problem has gotten worse since November when Missouri voters approved a ballot measure eliminating the state’s $500 loss limit. Commissioners directed an industry group, the Missouri Gaming Association, to spend the next month developing a plan to combat underage gambling.“We’re trying to move forward on this problem,” said Jim Mathewson, the former Democratic lawmaker who now chairs the five-member Gaming Commission.A report to the commission cited two incidents in May at Pinnacle’s Lumiere Place casino in St. Louis.On May 20, a 19-year-old man was caught on the gambling floor, but only after he played table games and an electronic gaming device. A security guard, table game supervisor and dealer all failed to verify his age, the report said. He was caught when a cashier checked his ID.That same day, a 20-year-old played blackjack and roulette, and was served alcohol before a cashier checked his identification, learned he was underage, and contacted security.Commission staff recommended a $25,000 fine for Pinnacle, but commissioners voted raise it to $60,000.At Ameristar’s Kansas City casino, a 19-year-old got onto the gambling floor on April 19 when a security guard checked his ID but failed to notice his age. The young man left, then was caught when he tried to re-enter. He did not gamble or drink.Staff recommended a $10,000 fine but the commission upped it to $25,000.Ameristar spokesman Troy Stremming noted that more than 4 million patrons visit the Kansas City casino each year. “Unfortunately, mistakes are going to occur,” he said.The security guard who failed to notice the patron’s age was fired. Stremming wondered why commissioners increased the fine recommended by staff.“It’s frustrating for us,” he said. “It seems excessive.”The passage of Proposition A meant that casino patrons no longer had to show a card allowing them to gamble, a move that previously added another roadblock for those under 21 trying to sneak onto a gambling floor. McNary noted it was the gambling interests who pushed hard for passage of the measure, and it is up to them to keep out underage gamblers.Commissioners directed the Gaming Association to look at procedures at all Missouri casinos, develop a “best practices” list, and bring the plan to the Oct. 27 meeting.Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed