A DURBAN attorney’s joy at a R42.9-million casino win
quickly turned sour when she was told she would not be
paid out because the machine had malfunctioned.
Incensed Chatsworth attorney Jayshree Asalan told the
Sunday Times that she would be suing Sun Coast
Casino and Entertainment World for the millions she
believes are due to her.
“I was very excited but now I’m extremely traumatised
about the matter, and I will be taking it up with the
high court. The casino should not get away with this,”
said Asalan.
But casino management said a sticker on the side of
every slot machine would exempt them from making the
payout.
“There is no chance she will ever get that amount of
money because the largest winning on a slot machine on
the casino floor is R1-million,” said casino marketing
manager Robbie Naidoo. “In terms of the Gambling Board’s
legislation, whatever happens at the point of a machine
malfunction, we are not liable to pay out.”
Ken Ladbrooke, acting CEO of the gambling board in
KwaZulu-Natal, confirmed that in all probability the win
was a malfunction and said it would be verified by the
board’s inspectors on Monday.
“I have never in my involvement in gaming known of any
machine that could pay that amount.”
But Asalan said this was not acceptable as the sticker
was “barely visible” and the machine had not indicated a
malfunction.
“The machine cannot malfunction if it can take my money.
When it’s time to pay out it was suddenly
malfunctioning. The [casino staff] almost laughed it
off,” she said.
Naidoo likened the malfunction to an ATM printing the
wrong account balance. “If your statement says you have
R42-million, it does not mean the money is yours.”
