EastSideHBG
01-26-2007, 05:18 AM
Well a PA gambling screw up sure didn't take long! :laugh:
Slots parlor claims $102,000 'win' was mistake
Friday, January 26, 2007
BY SHARON SMITH
Of The Patriot-News
A retiree visiting Philadelphia Park was playing a slot machine this week when a message board on the machine said he won $102,000. But casino officials told him he received the message by mistake and offered him two free visits to a buffet instead, according to The Associated Press.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is investigating to see what went wrong and will deal with the casino. But Stephen Wilkinson, the retiree, is on his own if he wants that money.
"Our role would be in regards to the operator," said Doug Harbach, spokesman for the gaming board.
The board can assess fines or issue sanctions if it finds that the casino's internal controls were violated, Harbach said. But the board does not recoup money on behalf of the customer in such cases, he said.
If Wilkinson wants the money, he would likely have to go to court, and people familiar with gambling law say it's unlikely that he would win.
Thomas Ringe III, an attorney in the gaming section at the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris, said the industry is highly regulated and wins are awarded under tightly defined procedures.
"A message to him from the computer is not going to be one of the conditions that lead to winnings," Ring said. "It's just a tough break."
I. Nelson Rose, a law professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, Calif., had the same opinion. Rose is considered an expert in gambling law.
"I think the casino is going to win," he said.
Wilkinson has two things working against him.
"One is that it's pretty clear that malfunctions void play," Rose said.
The other is that he might have a hard time claiming that he thought he won because the symbols on the slot machine were not lined up. Casinos, generally, have a contract with players that they will accept a bet if the symbols line up, he said.
"And none of that happened," Rose said. "On the other hand, he did get a notice with his name on it."
Most casinos don't settle cases involving false wins, and although Philadelphia Park is considered a favorite to win if it goes to court, the casino might still be prodded into doing something for Wilkinson, Rose said.
"It doesn't matter that they're going to win," Rose said. "They're getting killed by the public relations."
Philadelphia Park said in a news release yesterday that the matter remains under investigation.
"This was clearly an error quickly recognized by everyone, and it is similar to those that occur from time to time in bank statements, tax returns, etc.," said Darlene Monzo, the casino's vice president of marketing. "In such circumstances, people are not allowed to benefit unduly from an honest mistake."
The American Gaming Association does not track how often false wins are reported.
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission received 14 slot-malfunction complaints last year, said Daniel Heneghan, a spokesman for the agency. Those complaints dealt with things like malfunctioning buttons or stuck reels, he added.
Slots parlor claims $102,000 'win' was mistake
Friday, January 26, 2007
BY SHARON SMITH
Of The Patriot-News
A retiree visiting Philadelphia Park was playing a slot machine this week when a message board on the machine said he won $102,000. But casino officials told him he received the message by mistake and offered him two free visits to a buffet instead, according to The Associated Press.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is investigating to see what went wrong and will deal with the casino. But Stephen Wilkinson, the retiree, is on his own if he wants that money.
"Our role would be in regards to the operator," said Doug Harbach, spokesman for the gaming board.
The board can assess fines or issue sanctions if it finds that the casino's internal controls were violated, Harbach said. But the board does not recoup money on behalf of the customer in such cases, he said.
If Wilkinson wants the money, he would likely have to go to court, and people familiar with gambling law say it's unlikely that he would win.
Thomas Ringe III, an attorney in the gaming section at the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris, said the industry is highly regulated and wins are awarded under tightly defined procedures.
"A message to him from the computer is not going to be one of the conditions that lead to winnings," Ring said. "It's just a tough break."
I. Nelson Rose, a law professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, Calif., had the same opinion. Rose is considered an expert in gambling law.
"I think the casino is going to win," he said.
Wilkinson has two things working against him.
"One is that it's pretty clear that malfunctions void play," Rose said.
The other is that he might have a hard time claiming that he thought he won because the symbols on the slot machine were not lined up. Casinos, generally, have a contract with players that they will accept a bet if the symbols line up, he said.
"And none of that happened," Rose said. "On the other hand, he did get a notice with his name on it."
Most casinos don't settle cases involving false wins, and although Philadelphia Park is considered a favorite to win if it goes to court, the casino might still be prodded into doing something for Wilkinson, Rose said.
"It doesn't matter that they're going to win," Rose said. "They're getting killed by the public relations."
Philadelphia Park said in a news release yesterday that the matter remains under investigation.
"This was clearly an error quickly recognized by everyone, and it is similar to those that occur from time to time in bank statements, tax returns, etc.," said Darlene Monzo, the casino's vice president of marketing. "In such circumstances, people are not allowed to benefit unduly from an honest mistake."
The American Gaming Association does not track how often false wins are reported.
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission received 14 slot-malfunction complaints last year, said Daniel Heneghan, a spokesman for the agency. Those complaints dealt with things like malfunctioning buttons or stuck reels, he added.
