This actually "sounds" reasonable. However...
My understanding is that money left in an "abandoned" machine belongs to the
CASINO. If you cash out money not yours, you are actually STEALING, not from
the person who left the money in the machine, but from the casino itself! It
has been a few years since I read about this, if the law is now different
please post!
The best LEGAL option is to point out the credits to a slot floor person or
supervisor. If the person (the one who left the credits) returns, the casino
has the option of reimbursing him, assuming they can verify that the money
was actually his. One more reason to always play with your slot card!
Usually, when abandoned credits are brought to the attention of slot
personnel, they just have someone play it through the machine until it is gone. This
should not affect possible reimbursement later, to the person who left the
credits.
Sorry, but I don't believe that there is any LEGAL way for this money to
become yours. You would probably not be prosecuted if you cashed out the ticket
and IMMEDIATELY turned it in to Security, but the act of cashing out is a
crime. If you say you found the ticket, and they believe you without having
Surveillance check, you could get the money in 30 days if it is not claimed. If
they check, and Surveillance sees you cash out the ticket, you could be in
trouble. In that case, the casino would just void the ticket, thereby keeping
the money, as is its legal right.
I personally have NO desire to obtain money I have not earned or won. And
several times, I have pointed out abandoned machine credits to slot personnel. A
personal choice, you must make your own!
Brian
ยทยทยท
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In a message dated 5/29/2006 12:08:58 PM Pacific Standard Time,
arnot@cox.net writes:
So, what do we do if we come upon a machine with someone else's money
in it?
Couple months ago a guy sitting next to me got up and left $200 in his
machine. I had three options:
1) Leave it in the machine.
2) Cash it out and turn it in to security.
3) Cash it out for the guy and hope he comes back for it.
If I leave it in the machine, someone else may come along and take the
ticket and cash it in.
If I cash it out and give it to security, I'm guessing that if the
person does not claim it, the casino gets to keep the money.
I chose to cash the ticket out and put it in my shirt pocket. If the
guy comes back, which he did, I give him the ticket and he's very
happy. If he doesn't come back by the time I leave my machine, then
it's finders keepers if I never see the guy again.
Just my two cents.
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