Why NJ woman should sue casino for not paying up (Opinion)

You're at a casino in Atlantic City. You drove through some of the crumbling, sketchy streets to get to your parking spot in the casino garage. With a couple hundred bucks to play with, you make your way past the smoke and crowds to grab your favorite spot at the progressive slots. Then you play.

After a few hours, and a visit to the ATM, you're tired but determined to hit something. Then it happens. The bells, the lights, the cheering, and on the slot screen a clear message, 1.2 MILLION dollar jackpot.

Before you know it, casino staff is swarming, and the machine changes its tune. Sorry, no win for you, machine error, TILT.

This is what happened to a New Jersey woman back in February at Bally's casino.

Her son Lucky Smith called the show to describe what happened that day and the emotional roller coaster from losing a couple hundred, to thinking you've got a million plus coming, to nothing.

The issue I brought up on the air was that if we are to believe that the machine could malfunction on a win, how many times did it malfunction while taking your money and continuing your losing streak? The integrity of the machines is certainly in question, even a 28-year casino employee called to say that the technology is subpar.

If we are going to attract a new generation of people to visit AC and stay, play, and spend money, AC needs an overhaul.

The first thing that needs to be done is to open up gaming licenses to suspend the rule prohibiting a gaming license without a 300+ room hotel.

Any company with insurance, especially the bars that already have a bond in place for their liquor licenses, should be able to have slots and video poker.

Empowering all local businesses to benefit from gaming revenue is one of the key reasons for the success in Las Vegas. We need to make it happen here. We also need to create a low-tax enterprise zone for businesses to relocate and open in Atlantic City. Add to that, increased police, lifeguards, and firefighters and a rail line from the airport to the boardwalk, plus a negotiation to bring in new air service to the AC International Airport, and we'll have AC turned around in a few short years.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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