The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has secured an unclaimed $229,368.52 jackpot won by an out-of-state player following a communications error on a progressive slot machine.
The player, Robert Taylor from Arizona, played a progressive jackpot slot machine at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on January 8th 2022. Taylor appeared to win the jackpot on the machine, but due to a technical malfunction the machine failed to inform the player that the jackpot had been won.
According to an NGCB press release, at the time, casino staff were unable to determine how much the jackpot should be or if it had indeed been won by Taylor. The casino immediately launched an investigation, but by the time staff could confirm the win and the amount won, Taylor had returned home to Arizona completely unaware of the technical glitch or the fact that he had won a jackpot.
The casino stated that it had made several unsuccessful attempts to identify the mystery jackpot winner but had failed to find Taylor. The NGCB then stepped in and launched its own investigation.
In something akin to a Mission Impossible storyline, the NGCB viewed multiple hours of CCTV footage from various locations around Vegas gaming properties, conducted witness interviews, and analyzed payment records. However, it was through data retrieved from a rideshare company that the NGCB finally managed to identify Taylor.
Speaking of the investigation, James Taylor, Chief of the Board’s Enforcement Division said:
“The Nevada Gaming Control Board is charged with the strict regulation of the gaming industry, the protection of the gaming public, and ensuring that the industry benefits the State of Nevada. I commend the agents of the Enforcement Division, particularly Agent Dan Nuqui, for ensuring that the public trust in the gaming industry remains strong by spending countless hours over two weeks to ensure that a patron is awarded winnings owed to him.
I’d also like to thank the Nevada Transportation Authority for their assistance in confirming the identity of the patron. This has been a great example of government working together for the benefit of the public.”
The NGCB informed Taylor of his win on January 28th 2022 so he could claim his winnings at his earliest convenience.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.
