A compulsive gambler is now suing one of the largest casino resorts in Canada, Caesars Windsor, for allegedly letting him lose over CA$342,000 (approximately US$260,000). The man has also taken legal action against the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which should have been aware of his condition, according to his lawyers.
The casino patron, Tarwinder Shokar, claims the casino should have not allowed him to play at the premises since he was a compulsive gambler. According to him, Caesars Windsor should have known about his compulsive gambling and alcohol addiction. During two visits to the casino in October 2013, the man lost more than CA$342,000, the Windsor Star reported on Thursday.
He is now suing Caesars Windsor and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which oversees all gambling operations in the province. On top of that, he is seeking punitive damages of $500,000 (around US$381,000). Shokar claims that the casino and OLG should have known that he had been previously banned from other casinos for disruptive behavior. According to news reports, the man also has criminal fraud convictions and is currently banned from all Ontario casinos.
Tarwinder Shokar claims that the casino, which is located just a mile or so from Detroit, Michigan, over-served him alcohol. Moreover, employees at Caesars Windsor allegedly encouraged him to gamble while he was intoxicated. According to Shokar’s legal representative, Iain MacKinnon, a lawyer with Toronto’s Linden & Associates, the casino and more importantly, the OLG, were well aware of his past background or at least, they should have been. Multiple casinos across Ontario had banned him for appearing drunk and being disorderly.
History of Gambling Addiction and Strange Behavior
The gambling sessions at Caesars Windsor were not the first time Tarwinder Shokar had bad luck at the casino table. According to the Windsor Star, it all started with a visit to the Elements Casino in Brantford, Ontario. After gambling away all his money in the casino, he threw himself in front of a truck in an attempt to kill himself.
He survived but was left with serious injuries. For them, however, he received a “sizeable” insurance payout. After taking the insurance money, he started looking for a new casino to gamble and went to a travel agency specializing in casino tours. The agency directed the man to Caesars Windsor.
Shokar first visited the casino on October 17, 2013. After depositing his CA$55,000 bank draft, he was given VIP treatment and was escorted by a Caesars Windsor executive host. Initially, the man purchased CA$25,000 in chips, which he spent for an hour on the roulette table. He then withdrew another CA$25,000 in three installments within a short period of only 16 minutes. The man went home and returned the following morning. According to the court statements, he lost around CA$92,000.
On October 23, Shokar returned to Caesars Windsor with a bank draft of CA$100,000, following the casino tour agent’s advice. He purchased CA$50,000 worth of chips and only an hour later, he spent the rest of his deposit on chips once again. Another couple of deposits followed and over the course of that day, Shokar lost a total of CA$250,000.
