A family connected to a Utah polygamous sect owns a California casino, and regulators may end up

A family connected to a Utah polygamous sect owns a California casino, and regulators may end up shutting it down


Of all the businesses owned by Utah’s Kingston family, perhaps none receive the government scrutiny of the Lake Elsinore Casino in Southern California.

The family is the namesake of the Kingston Group, the polygamous sect that’s also known as the Davis County Cooperative Society. Church members own a diverse portfolio of service, financial and agricultural operations in Utah and Idaho, but these businesses typically require little more than updating their licenses and filing tax returns.

California casino owners, on the other hand, must be licensed by the state — even if they are only a part owner. The process for licensing and keeping a license requires undergoing background checks, disclosing details of the applicants’ finances, listing key employees at the casino and accounting for the gamblers’ losses and payouts. The applicants’ spouses often have to submit to background checks, too.

The Lake Elsinore Casino is accused of not providing all the information California requires and committing other violations of the state’s licensing regulations. In a case that has dragged on since Bill Clinton was president, the two men listed as owners, Ted E. and Joseph O. Kingston, may be forced to close or sell the casino if they get an adverse ruling from an administrative judge who is considering arguments.

Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/04/27/family-connected-utah/
(Salt Lake Tribune)

Cross-posted in the California Group.