Nevada Considers Action Against Banned Players Winning JackpotsRecent Case Saw Man Awarded Cash Even After Trespassing |
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.jpg "Casablanca Casino in Mesquite")
A gambler walks into a Las Vegas casino that he’s already been banned from. He orders a cocktail, plays a slot machine, and wins a jackpot. Despite trespassing on the property, the tenacious gambler is awarded the cash under current Nevada gaming regulations.
That’s the scenario some casinos are facing, and the Nevada Control Board is now considering some changes to curb trespassing casino goers from cashing in.
“I just think it’s bad policy,” retired Las Vegas Municipal Court judge and a member of the board George Assad said during a recent hearing involving the issue. “Just because the policy has been on the books for a number of years doesn’t mean it’s good policy.”
Banned Player Cashes In
The reassessment of the longtime policy comes after a recent hearing involving a gambler named Rhon Wilson, who entered the Casablanca Casino in Mesquite despite being banned. He went on to win $2,045 and the property was ordered to pay Wilson in a 2-1 vote of the Control Board on Oct. 18.
The controversy came after Wilson entered the property in April. Wilson won a $1,660 jackpot and also had $385 in the machine when his winnings were confiscated. The winnings were denied because of the property’s policy of not paying out banned players.
The Control Board later determined that the policy violated state gaming regulations and ordered the Casablanca to pay up. Under its regulation, the Control Board separates the trespassing and prosecution from the legal act of gambling, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Records show that Wilson’s history of getting 86ed from the property dates back to 2011. That year, he’d been removed for stealing beer and more incidents would follow.
“Since that incident, he was removed from the property five more times, once in 2014, twice in 2015, once in 2019 and once in 2022 for various offenses, including petty theft, drunk or disorderly conduct, and violations of prior trespasses,” the Review-Journal reports.
Control Board Reviewing Issue
Casablanca officials had already appealed the issue twice before the final ruling in October. While the current policy puts the burden on the casino to keep trespassing players out, Casablanca representatives argued that this is virtually impossible and rewards the banned players.
Casino officials have said the issue has become a growing problem as gamblers risk small fines to play. A later Control Board meeting continued reviewing the policy and it appears changes may be coming.
Gaming regulators, including Assad, are hoping the board continues studying the issue and alter the state’s policy to leave banned players losers instead of winners in these types of situations.
*Photo by Eddie Maloney – Wikipedia
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