Last month, Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City sued a group of 12 gamblers that won over $1 million due to a baccarat deck being left unshuffled. The casino operator felt that the circumstances under which the win occurred was unfair and believed that a local judge would take its side, requiring the players to pay back the money they had won. Unfortunately, for the casino operator, that was not the case.While Baccarat is supposed to be a game of chance, the element of luck was eliminated when the players took notice that the sequence of cards remained the same. This was the casino’s argument in court, as local gambling laws are aimed at promoting fair gaming for both the casino and the player.
When the judge ruled against the casino last week, the operator’s initial response was anger. According to reports, Golden Nugget felt as though it had been ambushed, claiming that the decision was unfair and looking to file an appeal. However, the casino operator decided against it, choosing instead to award the players their winnings.
“The Golden Nugget is a people business,” says Tilman Fertitta, who owns Golden Nugget. “It is prepared to allow the gamblers — most of whom continue to gamble at Golden Nugget — to realize the gambler’s dream of beating the house”.
It seems like a wise business decision, especially since the players are regular customers at the casino. Golden Nugget will simply have to exercise more caution when working with new decks of cards.
