New Jersey casino suing gamblers who won $1.5 million

Aug 22, 2012, 2:49 pm (37 comments)

Gambling

Blames unshuffled decks of cards

A New Jersey casino has sued a group of gamblers who won $1.5 million after they allegedly realized the eight decks of cards used in a game of mini baccarat were not preshuffled.

The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, N.J., filed suit against the gamblers and playing card company Gemaco after 14 players collectively won $1,536,700 in 41 winning hands.

As the same sequence of cards kept appearing April 30, the players increased their bets from $10 to $5,000, the casino alleged.

"The gamblers unlawfully took advantage of the Golden Nugget when they caught onto the pattern and ... by passing money to fellow gamblers in order to place bets in excess of posted betting limits," the casino said in a statement.

In a lawsuit filed in New Jersey Superior Court, the casino cited gambling regulations that state gaming odds must be fair for both sides.

The Golden Nugget is seeking a return of the $558,900 it paid out to several of the players and the nearly $1 million worth of chips.

Benjamin Dash, attorney for the gamblers, said his clients, who did not know each other, were "playing the game lawfully."

After paying out a portion of the winnings, the casino managers became suspicious. Convinced they were watching a "sophisticated swindling and cheating scheme," they refused to cash in the remaining $1 million in chips.

No evidence of a scheme was found. On May 1, the Golden Nugget said it learned by "direct admission" from Gemaco's CEO that the decks used in the baccarat game were unshuffled, despite being touted as preshuffled, certified decks.

ABCNews.com was unable to reach Gemaco for comment.

Three of the gamblers filed a countersuit against the casino alleging they were discriminated against because of their Chinese heritage.

"All of the players were Asian [and] none of their chips were honored," Dash said. "In New Jersey, a chip is evidence of a debt."

After the win, Dash said, one of his clients was assaulted when he answered the door of his hotel room.

The man was pinned against a wall and his belongings were searched, Dash said. He was then held in a room without access to food, water or an interpreter, according to allegations in the countersuit, which identifies no particular assailant.

The Golden Nugget called the claims "completely false."

"[We] would never discriminate against anyone, including the Asian community," the casino said in a statement. "In fact, the Golden Nugget designed and built an Asian gaming area and restaurant to specifically attract Asian guests to the casino."

The case will be heard Aug. 31.

ABC News

Comments

RJOh's avatarRJOh

"[We] would never discriminate against anyone, including the Asian community," the casino said in a statement. 

That's when they are taking someone's money, however that doesn't apply when someone is taking their money.

mcginnin56

Sounds like sour grapes from the casino.

Their management staff should have checked to insure the card decks were shuffled prior to the start of the game. This is just casino 101 stuff.

What idiots, they deserve to have lost.   Jack-in-the-Box

Mr-Smith's avatarMr-Smith

How many times has a casino not paid a player because of human or machine error.....SmashSmash

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

The casino deserves a settlement from the card MFR.

however the players chips should be honered,

but w/ this costing jersey tax $ my guess is the jersey supremes will side w/ the casino.

Honey502

Maybe Im confused and I read the story wrong.  I understood that the people who won notice that THE CASINO did not shuffle the deck of cards.  Whos fault is it??  It does sound like sour grapes for the casino.  So New Jersey Casino...SHAME ON YOU!!  If it was me, HAND ME MY MONEY, the dealer was not doing his/her job and he/she should be penalized for that.  A win is a win.  The casino, already knows that people know how to count cards, that why they have multiple decks......DUH on yall part!!  Yall got caught slipping.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Mr-Smith on Aug 22, 2012

How many times has a casino not paid a player because of human or machine error.....SmashSmash

countless times,

every machine has a warning on it

" malfunction voids all play and pays"

Wooddrive's avatarWooddrive

As a casino player. I freakin LUUUVV it. I heard about this a while ago on a poker table. This is a beautiful thing. There are more details to this story that are just worth looking into. For instance, during the streak security was called to surround the table. They thought the players were cheating. All the pit bosses were fired ( dumbazzes ) dealers, etc..  I think this is hilarious. i hope the players get to keep the winnings.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Honey502 on Aug 22, 2012

Maybe Im confused and I read the story wrong.  I understood that the people who won notice that THE CASINO did not shuffle the deck of cards.  Whos fault is it??  It does sound like sour grapes for the casino.  So New Jersey Casino...SHAME ON YOU!!  If it was me, HAND ME MY MONEY, the dealer was not doing his/her job and he/she should be penalized for that.  A win is a win.  The casino, already knows that people know how to count cards, that why they have multiple decks......DUH on yall part!!  Yall got caught slipping.

9 ppl. were fired over this incident,

all supervisor level and above, no dealers.

not just sour grapes, but if the chips are not honered, could also be bad P.R.

this casino has been doing pooly for years, I know, my sister has been working there since 85

Its called the golden nugget now, but it just got that name a year ago when a new owner took over.

It used to be called Trump marina and before that trump castle.

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Aug 22, 2012

9 ppl. were fired over this incident,

all supervisor level and above, no dealers.

not just sour grapes, but if the chips are not honered, could also be bad P.R.

this casino has been doing pooly for years, I know, my sister has been working there since 85

Its called the golden nugget now, but it just got that name a year ago when a new owner took over.

It used to be called Trump marina and before that trump castle.

Sounds like a long history of incompetent management. Roll Eyes

I agree with the casino's decision to not fire the dealers, their just the low guys on the totem pole.

dognabit

"You can either have the money and the hammer or you can walk out of here. You can't have both. What do you want? "

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

...if I got screwed out of 1.5 mil I can assure you someone will be getting sodmized with a cactus.

It's sad that they run on the mentality that it's ok to keep plundering peoples wallets and bank accounts but it's not ok to take a beating every once in a while whether from personal fault or someones dumb luck

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by JonnyBgood07 on Aug 22, 2012

...if I got screwed out of 1.5 mil I can assure you someone will be getting sodmized with a cactus.

It's sad that they run on the mentality that it's ok to keep plundering peoples wallets and bank accounts but it's not ok to take a beating every once in a while whether from personal fault or someones dumb luck

Wonder if a little Vaseline would ease the pain of the cactus sodomy.   What?

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

I meant if I were the player who got screwed out of the money.....and hell no I wouldn't use vaseline.Maybe a habenaro based sauce...Evil Smile

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by JonnyBgood07 on Aug 22, 2012

I meant if I were the player who got screwed out of the money.....and hell no I wouldn't use vaseline.Maybe a habenaro based sauce...Evil Smile

LOL   I knew what you meant Jonny! Just more of a rhetorical out loud thought.  Roll Eyes

 

The sauce would be extremely appropriate.  Thumbs Up

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