Casino Keeps Self-Excluded Player's $14,225 Winnings

A South African casino has really gone to town on one of its voluntarily self-excluded patrons, after not only withholding his R129,000 (US$14,225) winnings but also filing trespassing charges against him.
Businessman Mahesh Kalidas, 53, admits to having a gambling problem and so decided to reign in his addiction by banning himself from all of South Africa’s casinos last year. However, the system seems somewhat flawed as Mr Kalidas was apparently still able to somehow continue gambling and losing at the casinos and was only found out when he actually won some money. As Mr Kalidas explains:
“Casinos are happy to allow banned gamblers back to lose, but the moment they win they are charged with trespassing and thrown out.”
According to Mr Kalidas in February and October 2012, he was able to access the Montecasino in Johannesburg and lose R200,000 (US$22,055) gambling. He said he also spent roughly R40,000 (US$4,411) on slot machines, but as soon as he hit the R129,000 (US$14,225) jackpot on 31st October 2012, he was immediately arrested and had to pay an admission-of-guilt fine at the local police station.
However, Mahesh Kalidas has now decided to fight the judgement and has reported the incident to The Gauteng Gambling Board. Meanwhile, Southern Sun Montecasino spokeswoman Priya Naidoo, explained: “The matter is currently still under investigation by Montecasino and the Gauteng Gambling Board. We are therefore unfortunately not in a position to comment until the Gauteng Gambling Board has resolved the matter.”