Posted on 10/25/2007 6:20:52 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
For about an hour last August, Gary Hoffman was a very lucky man.
Hoffman was playing the nickel slot machines at the Sandia Resort and Casino on an Indian reservation in New Mexico, when he appeared to hit the jackpot: the machine said he won nearly $1.6 million.
"I became ecstatic," he said.
But the ecstasy was short-lived. Hoffman says in a lawsuit filed earlier this year that Sandia refused to pay, claiming that the machine malfunctioned. Instead, he said, they gave him about $385 and a few free meals at the casino.[snip].....
[snip]Regardless, a jury may never get chance to hear Hoffman's case. Native American tribes, as independent nations, have their own court systems and can be sued in state courts only under limited circumstances. New Mexico law generally does not allow tribes to be sued in a state court over a contract dispute, Kleiman said.....
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
I’m betting (pun) the tribe in question pays out the amount in an out of court settlement.
Thats the smart move from a business viewpoint. Casino’s that get the rep they don’t pay when they lose don’t survive.
This isn’t the first time they have ripped of patrons. They should have to post a big advertisenment stating “We are Indian givers”
“If I went to a casino I would not go to an Indian one.”
Agreed. First few casinos I ever visited were Indian casinos. Later I visited Vegas and disovered the Indian casinos I had been to were dumps in comparison.
In PA, there have been MANY times jackpots were reneged on. They say the machine was not ready to pay. That’s like saying the dealer gave out too many aces so we won’t pay. This is only one of the reasons the slots will fail in PA>
I think it depends then on how prominent the Max $2500 sign is. If it is easily noticed, then the guy doesn't have a case, but if it is hideen of the machine, then guy wouldn't know what the max is.
Methinks the whole “malfunction” thing is just a BS excuse to not pay up.
A legit malfunction voids the payout...but how does one prove it did or did not “malfunction?”
A malfunction is probably simply a malfunction in the casino’s bank account and their desire to part with the cash.
In this case then it’s different but in other similar cases I’ve heard, I would say the casino was screwing around not wanting to pay.
Even nickel machines can be part of progressive jackpot pools.
There was a payout of $7.8 million on a nickel machine in Reno, on Jan. 27.
Pennsylvania!! Mt. Airy in the Poconos and Harrah’s? in Chester Pa .
A machine with a maximum $2500 jackpot hitting for $1 million is about as obvious a malfunction as you can get.
I spent about 30 minutes in Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun,both of which are Indian facilities that were recently built in Connecticut.Neither of them were dumps by any means.
Colorado
TankerKC Rule #1: Don't frequent casinos.
Good rule, the only sure winner.
Clickable state links at the following showing Indian facilities state by state
What do Tribes with casinos have? The Tribal Council?
They'll just vote you off the Rez.
He should've taken the $2500 because he didn't win the amount shown,
and does not deserve it.
Or if you go to a casino, take the approach of, I have $50, which is what I would pay to go to a ballgame, enjoy the free drinks, and as soon as you double your money, walk away. And if you lose the $50, it was at least a few hours of entertainment.
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