Woman Challenges Atlantic City Casino Over $1.2M Jackpot Dispute

In a contentious case emerging from Atlantic City, a New Jersey woman alleges that Bally’s Casino is refusing to honor her $1.2 million jackpot win, citing a slot machine malfunction. The incident, reported by 6abc Philadelphia, centers around Roney Beal, 72, who claims she secured the substantial prize in February while playing the popular “Wheel of Fortune” slot machine at Bally’s Casino.

This isn’t the first instance of such disputes in the gambling world. Complaints between gamblers and casinos are not uncommon, with AskGamblers reporting over 8,000 grievances in 2023 alone. Despite this, casinos remain a popular destination, with over 100 million visitors to U.S. casinos in the same year.

Beal recounted her experience, describing the moment the machine declared her a winner with an array of celebratory animations. “It went off, says, ‘you’re a winner,’ and gold coins popped out,” she explained to the outlet. “This very nice guy says, ‘Oh my God, you hit, you hit!’ He said, ‘Lady you’re a millionaire.’”

According to Beal, however, the elation was short-lived as a subsequent “tilt” message appeared on the machine, indicating a malfunction.

The situation quickly escalated when a casino employee informed Beal that due to the “reel tilt,” her win was void. This explanation was unsatisfactory for Beal and her attorney, Mike Di Croce, who assert that the jackpot, when accounting for a multiplier, should total $2.56 million. The duo is now preparing a legal complaint against Bally’s Casino and International Game Technology (IGT), the company responsible for the slot machines.

Adding complexity to the case, Di Croce plans to file an emotional distress claim exceeding $1 million, highlighting the significant impact the incident has had on Beal. In response, an IGT spokesperson confirmed that the company is cooperating with the investigation. Bally’s Casino, in its statement to the New York Post, deflected responsibility, suggesting that IGT is the appropriate entity to address the payout issue.

Historically, IGT has faced similar allegations. Notably, in 2000, a man claimed a $1.3 million win on a Wheel of Fortune machine at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans, only to be denied due to a reel tilt malfunction, echoing Beal’s current predicament.