World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
San Marino court rejects man's claim for remaining €708,000 casino winnings
A 44-year-old man from Mantova says he won €958,000 at a casino in Rovereta, San Marino, in 2018.
He says he played virtual Keno with four friends, and that the group’s four machines showed three wins of €250,000 and one of €208,000.
The casino paid him €250,000, saying it needed to check the wins before paying out.
The company argues that the other wins were made on his friends’ machines and that rules barred players from claiming wins that were not their own or lending money inside the casino.
San Marino’s gaming authority agreed there had been rule violations, and a court rejected the man’s claim in September 2024.
The court’s decision leaves him without the remaining €708,000, and he has been ordered to pay legal costs, though their amount is not yet clear.
He says he will keep challenging the case and may have to mortgage his home to cover the costs.
A San Marino court rejected an Italian man's claim for the remaining €708,000 of a reported €958,000 casino win.
The man received €250,000 after a MultiKeno game at the Rovereta casino on 6 August 2018.
Giochi del Titano, which runs the casino, argued that the way the bets were made did not comply with the rules.
San Marino's gaming authority also said the play involved breaches of regulations on claiming others' winnings and lending money in gaming rooms.
The first-instance judgment, issued on 16 September 2024, rejected the man's requests and ruled in the company's favour.
- Who
- An Italian man from Mantova and Giochi del Titano, which operates the Rovereta casino in San Marino.
- What
- The court rejected the man's claim for the remaining €708,000 of a reported €958,000 win after he received €250,000.
- When
- The game took place on 6 August 2018. The first-instance judgment was issued on 16 September 2024.
- Where
- The Sala da gioco di Rovereta, in the Republic of San Marino.
- Why
- The company disputed that the man was entitled to the full amount, arguing the play did not comply with gaming rules. San Marino's gaming authority also identified regulatory violations.
The player
Giochi del Titano
Entitlement to winnings
The player
The player said he was the sole winner with his friends' consent and was owed the full €958,000.
Giochi del Titano
The company said each player could bet up to €25 and that the multiple-play arrangement was not compliant with the rules.
Who placed the bets
The player
The player said he had not lent money to his friends and that they played with his money.
Giochi del Titano
The company said he handed the money to his friends shortly before the game.
Regulatory position
The player
The player disputed the company's account and said there was no specific regulation for Keno machines.
Giochi del Titano
The company relied on the gaming authority's view that the play breached rules against claiming others' winnings and exchanging or lending money in gaming rooms.
The man and four friends played MultiKeno at the Rovereta casino, where the reported winning total was €958,000.
The man was called to collect the winnings and received €250,000.
The man sued Giochi del Titano after seeking the remaining amount.
The first-instance court rejected the man's requests and ruled in favour of the company.
- Reported total win
- €958,000
- Amount paid
- €250,000
- Amount claimed as remaining
- €708,000
- Casino operator
- Giochi del Titano
- Casino location
- Rovereta, Republic of San Marino
- First-instance judgment
- 16 September 2024
3 sources
«Ho vinto un milione di euro alle slot machine, ma ne ho ricevuti solo 250mila: non so come pagare le spese legali, dovrò ipotecare casa»
Vince quasi 1 milione alle slot di San Marino, riceve 250 mila euro e fa causa: "Rischio d'ipotecare casa"
"Ho vinto un milione di euro, me ne hanno dati solo 250mila: se perdo la causa finisco per strada"
What people are saying
If it really ends this way, I will have to mortgage my home. Otherwise I don't know how I will pay them.
I didn't lend anything to my friends; they didn't have to give anything back to me, they were playing with my money.
violations in gaming activities