Out-of-state player finally gets rightful prize after hours of painstaking detective work
By Kate Northrop
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The Nevada Gaming Control Board went on the hunt for an out-of-town winner after a slot machine at a Las Vegas casino failed to inform him of a huge jackpot win.
A slot machine malfunction caused a tourist to walk away from a Las Vegas casino completely unaware that he had won a nearly $230,000 jackpot, but the gaming board was willing to put in the work to make sure the player got his rightful prize.
On January 8, Arizona resident Robert Taylor played a progressive slot machine at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on Las Vegas Boulevard, but gaming officials said a "communications error" caused the machine to experience a malfunction that prevented Taylor and casino personnel from realizing that a jackpot had been won.
By the time the gaming board had completed an extensive review of the slot machine and communications technology, Taylor had already returned home to Arizona, oblivious to the fact that he had won a $229,368.52 jackpot.
The casino had made multiple attempts to identify the player, and through a painstaking process of reviewing hours of surveillance footage across multiple gaming properties, conducting numerous witness interviews, studying electronic purchase records, and analyzing rideshare data, the winner was finally revealed to be Robert Taylor.
"The Nevada Gaming Control Board is charged with the strict regulation of the gaming industry, the protection of the gaming public, and ensuring that the industry benefits the State of Nevada," James Taylor, Chief of the Board's Enforcement Division said in a press release on Friday. "I commend the agents of the Enforcement Division, particularly Agent Dan Nuqui, for ensuring that the public trust in the gaming industry remains strong by spending countless hours over two weeks to ensure that a patron is awarded winnings owed to him. I'd also like to thank the Nevada Transportation Authority for their assistance in confirming the identity of the patron."
On January 28, Robert was officially notified of his nearly $230,000 jackpot win. A statement issued by the gaming board confirmed that he would have collected his winnings this past weekend.
"This has been a great example of government working together for the benefit of the public," James concluded.
What a magnificent gesture!
Thought malfunctions voided play and / or payout?
Only thing I can think of in tracking...is if the participant had a players card active at the machine.
Thank You to The Nevada Gaming Control Board for having Honesty and Integrity!
With honesty, you can trust things to be as they appear.
Integrity is standing up for what you believe is right, living by your highest values.
Certainly same technology is used there (probably started in Nevada) as here. They wear cellphone looking devices on their arms, a jackpot is won and it alerts the payout folks. Was talking to one of the ladies months ago and it went off and she said that means somebody won a jackpot and off she went.
Glad the Gaming Board tracked him down. Honesty and integrity wins every time!
Lots of pros and cons for using a player's card and this could be at the top of the list.
Yet another casino wouldn't pay a lady out because the machine "malfunction".
"Thought malfunctions voided play and / or payout?"
They may use a generic phrase about malfunctions voiding payouts but it depends on the type of malfunction. This malfunction was obviously more severe but it was analogous to not having every flashing light and siren when a big prize is won.
Lady won a jackpot to me two days ago and same with all of my jackpot wins. No bells, whistles or flashing lights on any modern slot machine. A message comes across the screen and the electronic signal goes to the slot attendants. That being said newer slot machines---not in this area--players can electronically transfer the funds and keep on playing. It automatically generates a W-2G which comes in the mail. IDK about other feel about this feature, takes the human contact out of the payout which I don't like and wouldn't use it. Like I won't use self serve checkouts.
https://thehustle.co/02092022-slot-machines/ < curious related article
w-9 form. I hit in Atlantic City back in 2001 on my sisters bday. w2 is work , w9 is gaming. Atlantic city also stopped years ago with coins, they use a coupon ticket to cash out. that is actually smart to do. I guess when they audit machines they can track things. Look at where were all headed into. the future of payouts.
Honestly, I haven't touched a casino since they actually were hiring in Philadelphia and in bensalem, Bucks county. I hear rivers casino is actually dangerous
Both of my IRS forms for winning are W-2G...do you think the Kentucky Lottery AND Derby City Gaming used the wrong forms???
Only a handful of casinos still have coin payouts available but with that being said very few of their machines still have this option. I don't miss it one bit, coupon is much better. The Las Vegas newspaper has a gaming section and an article about coin machines being affected by the 'coin shortage.'
My dad was an accountant. The Atlantic city gaming people gave me a w9g form. The coin shortage is so crap. there is no coin shortage. You need to talk to your accountant about the game winning w forms.
The purpose of Form W-9.
IRS Form W-9, known as a W-9 form, is one of the many tax documents required by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to help accurately estimate the taxes owed by contract workers in a given tax year. It’s a request for information about the contractors you pay as well as an agreement with those contractors that you won’t be withholding income tax from their pay — contractors must pay their own taxes on this income.
What is IRS Form W-2G?