[polldaddy poll=7875230]We previously reported about Mark Johnston who went on a tear in Vegas during this year’s Super Bowl weekend, drinking from the airport to the hotel and somehow ended up gambling for 17 hours and racking up $500k at the Downtown Grand. Now, Johnston is suing the casino for offering him credit and permitting him to gamble while intoxicated. Because of this, we decided to ask our readers, if Mark Johnston should pay his $500k debt to the Downtown Grand.
The results are in!
65% of the voters picked Yes – He drank too much, gambled then lost. Pay up! The Downtown Grand issued a statement regarding the issue saying that it does not comment on pending litigation.
35% of the voters picked No – They “picked his pockets” as he puts it. Johnston says the issue at the heart of his suit is responsibility, just not his, arguing that the casino should have cut him off when they noticed his blind drunk state.
Johnston says he was completely drunk during the hours he spent playing pai gow and blackjack at the Downtown Grand. His legal team plans to rely on eyewitness testimony and surveillance video to prove that he was visibly intoxicated.
“I feel like they picked my pockets,” Johnston said. “I feel like they took a drunk guy . . . like a drunk guy walking down the street, and you reach in his pockets and grab all his money.” He is also seeking damages from the casino for sullying his good name.
The Downtown Grand has counter sued Johnston for trying to get out of his debt while the Nevada Gaming Control Board is investigating the situation. Whether he was “cheated” out of $500k has yet to be determined.
For this week’s poll, we’re putting the spotlight on who won the iGaming North America Conference debate. Was it Caesars Interactive Entertainment CEO Mitch Garber or was it Vice President of Government Relations for Las Vegas Sands Corporation, Andy Abboud? Hit the vote button and let us know what you think. Check back next week to see the results.
