Gambling company sued by customers who claim they were cheated out of big payouts
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Fourteen gamblers are taking legal action against an online gambling company for allegedly refusing to pay them their full jackpot payouts, according to New Jersey regulators.
In one federal lawsuit, filed by Lisa Piluso of Pennsylvania, the gambler claims the company did not pay a $100,000 jackpot she says she had won while playing a slots game on her phone. The company allegedly maintained there was “a bug” in the product.
Thirteen other gamblers have claimed they were not given their correct earnings from the gambling company either, regulators said.
The “Capital Gains” slot game, played by Piluso on Oct. 2 in 2020, was run on an online platform by Caesars Interactive New Jersey, and the game is manufactured by American Gaming Systems, based in Las Vegas.
In a statement released by her lawyer, Paul D’Amato, Piluso states, “I’m an experienced online player, and I was shocked when AGS (American Gaming Systems) officials, including the company president, told me they weren’t going to pay, even when I showed them the screenshot that I made of the $100,000 jackpot.”
According to Piluso, “they said I actually won about $300, but they then offered me $1,000, saying we were ‘nice people.’ How many other players have been in the same situation but agreed to settle for a fraction of their winnings after being told they, too, were ‘nice people?’ ’’
An investigation into the matter was launched by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. In late August, the division wrote Piluso stating that the AGS “had discovered an issue/bug within the game” that failed to clear bonus symbols that had appeared on players’ screens during previous rounds.
On Friday, in response to questions from the Associated Press, the attorney general’s office disclosed that it has fined AGS $1,000 for failing to ensure that the game was functioning properly. It is unclear if the company is going to challenge the fine or pay it.
Piluso’s lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Camden, accuses the gaming company of consumer fraud and other wrongful actions related to the jackpot prize. Neither Caesars casino nor its online division were named as defendants in the suit.
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Deion Johnson may be reached at djohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
