June 20th, 2023: It’s not every day that we read news about players going against the house. So when a player files a lawsuit against an established operator, it instantly becomes new and creates a buzz.
It’s exactly what happened to MGM and its network of casinos after a player filed a lawsuit alleging fraud, breach of contract, and even violations based on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations or RICO.
According to multiple reports, Sam Antar filed a lawsuit against BetMGM, MGM, and Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. In the lawsuit, Antar alleges that MGM online casino regularly timed out, erased his winnings, and offered him bonuses that motivated him to play more than usual.
Casino regularly times out, piles him with huge bonuses
In his statement, Antar shared that from May May 2019 through January 2020, he gambled at B Onljne Casino for an average of 6 to 8 hours daily, betting over $29 million. According to the suit, the casino is often out when he’s about to hit big payouts. And when he contacted the casino’s support, the staff gave him a steady stream of bonuses, amounting to roughly $30,000 monthly. He considered this as ‘hush money,’ preventing him from reporting the issues to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement or the DGE.
The suit also explains that Antar regularly bets up to $5,000. It also adds that the VIP hosts within MGM contacted the plater through text regarding the disconnection problems, which matches the claim of timing out and disconnection.
Antar believes that the operator is aware that he is a problem gambler. He shared that he signup to be part of the self-exclusion list for some time before voluntarily removing his name from the list in 2018.
MGM denies wrongdoing
Regarding the lawsuit, MGM denied any wrongdoing in its dealings with Antar. According to an official statement, MGM called Antar a twice-jailed ‘fraudster’ who has repeatedly victimized friends and family members and is now engaged in another scheme, this time targeting MGM. As such, MGM is asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit and recommends that the matter be referred to arbitration, which it explains is part of the Terms of Service, which Antar agreed with when he opened his real money account. The company also added that it did not violate any New Jersey laws.
In a statement, MGM shared that Mr. Antar is a fraudster and felon and has pled guilty to several questionable schemes. The filing further adds that “rather than accept accountability for his actions, Antar blames BetMGM for his crimes, falsely claiming that BetMGM preyed upon his alleged gambling addiction.”
The company added, “BetMGM takes problem gambling seriously and has numerous options for persons to self-exclude or limit their play, as well as resources for assistance.” It also mentioned that New Jersey law does not include a common law duty to protect players with gambling problems from their actions.
