There's an interesting story in today's Albuquerque Journal about a
man suing a local Native American casino over a jackpot that was
called a "machine malfunction." I would provide a link, but the ABQ
Journal has decided that access to their stories and website is for
subscribers only. I'll try to paraphrase:
According to the article, a man was playing a Mystical Mermaid slot
at Sandia Casino. The machine locked up after a spin and the screen
indicated that he'd hit a jackpot of almost $1.6 million. It was a
nickel machine and clearly marked with a maximum payout of $2,500,
along with the standard "Machine malfunction voids all pays and
plays." The casino informed the man it was a machine malfunction. The
man's attorney has filed suit in New Mexico state District Court for
breach of contract and a claim under the state's unfair practices
act. The casino is claiming they cannot be sued in state court under
their sovereign immunity. The man is seeking damages and a jury
trial.
According to the article, "Good Morning, America" was in town on
Friday taping a story on the case.