Casino Uses Malfunction Excuse to Void Jackpot

After all, what casino wants to be like the Ocean Club Gaming Center on St. Thomas Island, and be noted as a place to avoid because the game doesn't pay?

A casino in the Virgin Islands refused to honor a jackpot, telling the customer the slot machine he played had obviously malfunctioned and therefore he was not eligible for the $5.15 million payoff. Ocean Club Gaming Center hit a jackpot of their own; however; the gambler happened to be a lawyer, and now he's suing for the money wasn't paid.

Alvin Paulson, from Belleview, Illinois, played a twenty-dollar spin on slots, and when the wheels stopped spinning, alarms were going off and quarters tumbling out of the machine. But a casino employee hurried over and shut the machine off.

Paulson stated, "Whoever shut the machine off said, ‘It’s an obvious malfunction. If you look at the top of the machine, it says we’re not responsible for malfunction of the machines. There’s no bet.' "

Paulson was extremely reasonable, and agreed if the machine had indeed operated in some way not designed, he would have no claim to the prize. But casino management was unable to demonstrate to him any malfunction or proof of anything that would indicate the machine did not operate properly.

It's amazing the number of casinos being cited these days for claiming machine malfunction whenever a jackpot hits. Even in circumstances where a legitimate problem occurs, one would think casino operators would handle the situation with panache and discretion, making sure patrons are not disgruntled.

After all, what casino wants to be like the Ocean Club Gaming Center on St. Thomas Island, and be noted as a place to avoid because the game doesn't pay? Yes, now the Ocean Club Gaming Center has established itself as an industry paraiah. How much business has the Ocean Club Gaming Center (of St. Thomas Island, of course) cost itself in the insuant bad publicity?