‘Drunk’ gambler sues Vegas casino

A man who lost US$500,000 is suing the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas saying he was “blackout intoxicated” and staff should have stopped him.

According to the BBC, Mark Johnston from California played for 17 hours after arriving at the casino on 30 January – Super Bowl weekend.

Johnston made his fortune in a car dealership and is a regular in Las Vegas. He says he was invited to town by the newly-opened Downtown Grand for the weekend and was served 20 drinks while he was gambling having already had 10 before arriving at the gambling tables leading him to become, in his lawyer’s words, “blackout intoxicated”.

Fox reported that as well as drinking on the plane he had been drinking in the limousine between the airport and the casino and also with friends at dinner.

Under Nevada’s gambling laws casino employees are not allowed to let patrons who are visibly drunk gamble.

Johnston told CNN: “Look, I had some drinks at the airport. I had a drink on the plane. You know, at some point that’s my responsibility, OK.

“But the unfortunate part about it for them [the casino] is that they have a more, bigger responsibility than I do. Just picture a drunk walking down the street and somebody goes up and just pickpockets him. That’s how I characterise it.”

The Grand is apparently countersuing Johnston for not paying his debts.

The Nevada gaming control board is investigating.