Featured Image Credit: Sylvain Sonnet via Getty Images
Topics: US Food
Rachael Davis
Gambling is an inherently difficult business. Not only are your odds of winning big so devastatingly slim that it’s barely worth taking the slots for a spin, but gambling operators aren’t exactly keen to part with any cash either.
Online gambling in the UK is highly regulated, but even those tight regulations don’t stop online casinos from offering three-figure bonuses that can only be redeemed by wagering their value 35 times over.
In the US, online gambling has taken off in recent years thanks to state-level regulation coming into effect across the Land of the Free.
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Brick-and-mortar casinos, of course, have been operating over there for far longer, often via Native American reservations that maintain their own governments and laws.
It was in a brick-and-mortar establishment that Katrina Bookman hit a jackpot that she thought had changed her life forever, only for the casino to claim it was the result of a malfunction.
Back in 2016, Katrina was playing slots at the Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, Queens, and the machine led her to believe she had landed what would have been the largest slot machine jackpot in US history: $42,949,672.
Imagine seeing that win come in, only to learn you wouldn’t be receiving it.
That was exactly Katrina’s experience. Upon seeing the jackpot on-screen, she said her whole body went “numb” as she tried to comprehend the life-changing payout.
She took a selfie with the screen, then made a beeline for a casino employee to tell them the incredible news.
After being told to return the next day – and no doubt enduring a sleepless night – she went back to the casino to be told that she “didn’t win nothing”. Which is to say that she hadn’t won anything.
According to the New York State Gaming Commission, Bookman’s machine had malfunctioned and her winnings only amounted to $2.25. What a stroke of luck for the casino!
The machine in question carries a disclaimer that says “malfunctions void all pays and plays”, and as such the Commission was legally obliged to only pay the ‘correct’ amount.
It turns out the house really does always win, even when it doesn’t. Poor Katrina was certainly led down the garden path with that one.
In a bid to curb her disappointment – and, frankly, good luck with that – the casino offered her a complimentary steak dinner.
Imagine sitting down to eat that steak. It could be the finest cut of beef known to man, and it’d taste bitter under those circumstances.
“Upon being notified of the situation, casino personnel were able to determine that the figure displayed on the penny slot was the result of an obvious malfunction - a fact later confirmed by the New York State Gaming Commission,” Resort World spokesperson Dan Bank told CNN.
“After explaining the circumstances to Ms. Bookman, we offered to pay her the correct amount that was shown on the printed ticket,” he said. How kind of them to offer the $2.25, right?
“Machine malfunctions are rare, and we would like to extend our apologies to Ms. Bookman for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
A year later, Bookman’s lawyer filed a lawsuit that branded the casino’s claims “ridiculous”.
"You can't claim a machine is broken because you want it to be broken. Does that mean it wasn't inspected? Does it mean it wasn't maintained?" the lawyer told CNN at the time.
"And if so, does that mean that people that played there before [Bookman] had zero chance of winning?"
Unfortunately for Bookman, Casino.org reported that the Queens County Supreme Court ruled in the casino’s favour.
Gambling is an inherently risky practice, and it’s galling to know that, even if you win, you can easily have the rug swept out from under you.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by problem gambling or addiction, get in touch with GambleAware for advice and support.