An Atlantic City judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a problem gambler against the Borgata casino and its parent company, MGM Resorts International, claiming damages because the casino plied him with offers despite knowing about his gambling addiction.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Cox Arleo dismissed the lawsuit, holding that the regulations governing Atlantic City casinos do not impose a legal duty to cut off compulsive gamblers.
New Jersey casino law “pervasively regulates the responsibilities of casinos as they relate to compulsive gamblers, but is notably silent on whether casinos or online gambling platforms may induce people who present with compulsive gambling behavior to patronize their businesses,” the judge wrote in her decision.
“The New Jersey Legislature … has not yet seen fit to require casinos to prevent or stop inducing gambling from those that exhibit problem gambling behavior. As a matter of law, (the) defendants do not owe a negligence common law duty of care to plaintiffs.”
Plaintiff Sam Antar, who claims to have gambled $40 million in 2019 alone, has vowed to appeal the decision.
“This is not just about me; this is about all the people across this country who have this addiction,” he told the Associated Press. “When are we as a country going to address this?”
