Casino Throws In Towel For $1.5 MillionCourt Rules In Favor Of Gamblers, Golden Nugget Won't Appeal |
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On Friday of last week, a judge ruled that the Golden Nugget, one of Atlantic City’s 12 properties, will have to pay out a group of gamblers who beat the joint for $1.5 million during a faulty game of mini-baccarat, the Associated Press reported.
Instead of appealing the decision, the casino’s owner, Tilman Fertitta, decided to honor the court’s decision. The casino had originally declined to pay out in full after a third-party vendor failed in its obligation to pre-shuffle the cards.
“Without question, the mini-baccarat game that took place on April 30, 2012, allowed $10 bettors to realize a gambler’s dream and enabled them to beat the house out of $1.5 million,” he told the AP. “Even though we can appeal the court’s ruling and take full advantage of the appellate process and legal system, and tie the matter up in litigation for a number of years, the Golden Nugget is a people business, and is prepared to allow the gamblers — most of whom continue to gamble at Golden Nugget — to realize the gambler’s dream of beating the house.”
The Golden Nugget will seek relief from the game manufacturer, who has admitted fault. The casino had originally sued the players for the money it had let them claim after the episode.
A few of the gamblers countersued the Nevada-based gambling operator, saying that it unlawfully discriminated against them. That suit should be dropped as well.
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