Last year in late summer Sothea Sinn age twenty eight was visiting the SkyCity casino when he earned a large $60,000 jackpot. The player was enjoying the Caribbean Stud poker game when he won the jackpot. However Sinn was banned from the casino as a problem gambler in 2004 so the casino did not pay him his prize. Sinn has now been paid the full amount of the win.

The casino said they did not think they should have to pay Sinn as it would be inappropriate. Sinn won the large jackpot after he was at the casino for twenty two hours. He was in the casino the entire time and was not noticed once by casino staff.

SkyCity has specific rules as to how a person can be re-admitted to the casino. Players must undergo counseling and talk to the casino before they will be taken off the banned list. Sinn did not comply with the Gambling Act so they felt it was in their right to not pay him the jackpot. However a spokesman for the casino has now stated the casino has decided to hand over the money.

Apparently Sinn took six sessions of counseling before he applied to be re-admitted to the casino after being banded for a year. When the jackpot was first won the Internal Affairs gambling inspectors were on the scene and they agreed that the casino should not have to pay the jackpot. After the exclusion order was expired the casino the department then decided that the gambler should be paid.

A spokeswoman for SkyCity commented that they want to ensure that there are no future loopholes involving banned gamblers. The casino wanted to work with the department on the issue of banned gamblers to see if they could come to some agreement.






- 2011-01-05