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added on 2010-08-04 04:14:01
Michael Lee, a problem gambler who signed a voluntary agreement to keep him away from gambling, sued the British Columbia Lottery Corporation over a $42,500 unpaid Jackpot.
The man joined the BCLC's Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program in 2007, but he continued gambling. Once signing the three years long agreement, the problem gambler can be asked to leave any casino and possible winnings can be withheld and used to fund gambling-related research. But Michel Lee said that when he signed the agreement, there was no mention about giving up his winnings because this rule was put in place on April 1st 2009.
Lee's lawyer, Joshua Weiszner, declared his client collected several smaller jackpots over the years and that he was always paid. “He provided his ID, he was paid, and he was never asked to leave — and a fundamental term of the agreement that he signed is that if he is identified, he will be asked to leave,” Weiszner said.
“They let him play, they let him win in small amounts. When he won the jackpot — that's when they decided to rely on, not the agreement, but a rule they made, subsequent to the agreement. He feels that if he was allowed to play and lose, then he should be allowed to keep the winnings”, he added.
Lee's lawyer also said his client was never notified about the clause which was introduced in 2009, although he had the same address.
It is the second lawsuit against BCLC this month. Critics say this proves the self-exclusion program simply doesn't work, giving a false hope to 6,000 people who already signed it.
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