Self-Excluded Gambler Wants Name Cleared From Mistaken Identity
A controversial court case regarding an individual who wishes to remove his name from the self-excluded gamblers list for New Jersey casinos has caused embarrassment and damage to another man, who wants it made public he is not the person referred to as S.D.
Sam DiGiralomo is a former New Jersey resident who is also well-known as a gambler. He admits having once placed himself on the excluded list, in 2003, for a one-year ban, which has since expired. However, he wants it made public that he is not the S.D. making headlines by asking for a removal from a lifetime self-imposed ban.
S.D. is a gambler who, in 2004, placed himself on the lifetime ban list after a particularly bad run in Atlantic City. Less than an hour after signing up, he was on the phone trying to reverse his decision, but was told it was irrevocable.
Soon, S.D. found himself baned at casinos outside New Jersey as well, as casinos pooled their knowledge of problem gamblers. A t this point, S.D. decided to sue to attempt to reinstate himself as a potential casino customer.
But, because the list is confidential to the public, the man is known only by his initials. Sam DiGiralomo found himself being mistakenly identified as S.D., a result he says has cost him both personally and professionally in his shipping business.
DiGiralomo has sued to force the public revelation of S.D.'s full name, so that he can prove it is not he. The New Jersey Casino Control Commission is resisting, insisting confidentiality is a cornerstone of their program; but the chairman, Linda Kassekert, has offered a formal letter to DiGiralomo stating he is not S.D. His lawyers say that would be inadequate.
Perhaps DiGiralomo shouls just take a photo of him entering Trump Plaza or Bally's, then send it to all the parties he thinks are so concerned. The idea of him forcing the public humiliation of another person because they hapen to share initials is absurd, and there are many ways to prove himself not to be S.D. that don't involve lawyers, courts, and nonsense.
Also, DiGiralomo should ask himself why people find it so easy to think he is the anonymous gambler. There might be a message there somewhere.
