Gaming Control Board Hears Claim for a Quarter

Frank Sciannameo was playing at The Orleans in Las Vegas and dropped 25¢ into a slot machine and won $8.50. However, he believes he was entitled to his original wager as payment as well. Being a local of Las Vegas, he knew the ins and outs and used a virtual unknown Nevada law to pursue his quarter.

In Nevada, there is a law that allows any gambler to dispute the outcome of any game and for any reason. Sciannameo took his complaint to the Gaming Control Board as he was entitled to. On Thursday October 9th, they heard his complaint. The Gaming Control Board when through all the motions of the case but in the end they denied his claim to the initial wager. The Gaming Control Board never once complained about the size of the claim but instead, was quite happy of the “patron dispute” process which is not instated in many parts of the globe.

Board member Mark Clayton had this to say about the case, "People should have the right to appeal to an independent regulatory authority. This maintains the public's confidence in gaming. It doesn't matter if it's 25 cents or $25,000. If a customer feels they were treated unfairly, they deserve their day in court."

Company spokesman Rob Stillwell from The Orleans said. "We cooperated fully with the Gaming Control Board. It really wasn't about a quarter. It was really a matter of understanding the slot payout tables."

Sciannameo says he wasn’t trying to waste anyone’s time or the taxpayer’s money. Instead, he says the game is flawed and it should react just like a regular table game where you get the original wager and their winnings. Slots do not pay in this fashion and he was hoping to change it.