Atlantic City, NJ – U.S. Judge: Casinos Not Liable For Addicted Gamblers

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    Atlantic City, NJ – A federal judge has dismissed a $20 million racketeering lawsuit against six Atlantic City casinos by a former attorney who said they had a duty to stop her from gambling.

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    U.S. District Court Judge Renee Bumb on Friday dismissed the lawsuit brought by Arelia Margarita Taveras, a former attorney from Queens, N.Y. who argued that the casinos saw she had a gambling problem yet did nothing to stop it.

    The judge ruled that Taveras, who says she lost close to $1 million in less than two years, did not prove that the casinos conspired to act against her, and that gambling is not an inherently dangerous activity.

    Taveras said she plans to appeal the dismissal.

    “New Jersey does not recognize that casinos have a duty of care to gamblers, and people are dying because of it,” Taveras said Monday, moments after learning of the decision.

    Taveras said she started gambling to have fun, but her betting quickly spun out of control. She said she would go days at a time at the tables _ not eating or sleeping, brushing her teeth, washing with disposable wipes so she didn’t have to leave the table, and sometimes passing out.

    She lost her law practice, her apartment, her parents’ home, and still owes the IRS tens of thousands of dollars. She said she even considered swerving into oncoming traffic to kill herself.

    In interviews with The Associated Press, Taveras admitted she dipped into escrow accounts she maintained for clients to finance her gambling habit. She was disbarred last June, and faces criminal charges stemming from those actions, but is trying to work out restitution agreements in order to avoid a prison term.

    Judge Bumb said Taveras failed to support her claim that gambling is a hazardous endeavor worthy of special protections.

    “Playing blackjack, roulette or the slots bears no likeness to dumping toxic waste,” the judge wrote. “She spent money on the bona fide chance that she might win more money. In short, she gambled.”

    Taveras was frustrated by the ruling.

    “Do we have to dump toxic waste on a casino floor to get their attention?” she asked.

    Her lawsuit had named Resorts Atlantic City, Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, the Tropicana Casino Resort, the Showboat Casino Hotel, Bally’s Atlantic City, as well as the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

    The casinos denied any wrongdoing, claiming in court papers that Taveras brought her problems on herself. Resorts, where she said she did most of her gambling, had no immediate comment on the dismissal.


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    10 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    this is very relevent to “unzerer”

    nebach how many tzorus, devorces, and peoples lives were destroyed because of this addiction R’L!!

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    Even the casinos admit that she bought her problems on herself by doing business with them.

    GET THE MESSAGE FOOLISH GAMBLERS. The only one that wins in the gambling arena are the casino owners. You may as well just hand over your money and say “I give up”.

    Gamblers have only themselves to blame for their stupidity.

    Lock & Load
    Lock & Load
    15 years ago

    Its not the CASINOS Fault!!!!!!

    Lock & Load

    A little fun gets people in big trouble!
    A little fun gets people in big trouble!
    15 years ago

    it is not the casinos fault.

    but it is worth while to bring attention to how many young men (under 25) are becoming addicted. I am older and from time to time go to the casinos (B”H I can afford a few dollars of such entertainment two or three times a year) and am horrified by how many young frum yidden gamble so much money when i know many of them struggle to pay bills. There are many Lakewood yinderman regularly in AC who are there spending their schver’s learning support money. Oy.

    Robroy560
    Robroy560
    15 years ago

    I love these slip and fall attorney who take on these personal responsibility cases. Unreal… it’s entertainment and shame on thsoe who can’t control themselves.

    And what’s wrong with the young men getting a job and supporting their families? Is that goyish? I would think gambling is more goyish, especially when a skimpy dressed waitress walks by. Normally I despise rats, but I would let the in-laws know that their leech son-in-law was gambling away moeny that was supposed to help with his Torah studies and money for the home.

    It’s one thing to gamble your own money, but

    another thing if someone is making sacrifices for you.

    balabusta
    balabusta
    15 years ago

    If you wear a yarmulka or even look like you do (and took it off for maarat ayin but, still have a beard and a yarmulka indentation) you do not belong in A/C.

    Same goes for the more modern yeshivah guys with the fancy shirts/slacks and the yarmulka indentation or wearing a yarmulka, the women in shaitlach or hats and even the ones just in skirts that are there with a yeshivah guy.

    A yeshivah educated guy or girl does not belong in A/C.

    azoy
    azoy
    15 years ago

    Balabusta you are right. At least take off the yarmulke and tuck in the tzitzes. As to the chasidishe who cannot “hide the Jewish look” — understand that the purpose of the chasidishe dress and beard etc. is specifically to act as a barrier to stop you (and me!) from entering places like casionos (clubs and bars and other places nebach are for a different post)

    dumbfounded
    dumbfounded
    15 years ago

    If casinos are not responsible for gambling problems, then why were cigarette companies responsible for smokers? Why were they penalized hundreds of millions of dollars?

    And why was McDonalds responsible when a woman spilled hot coffee on her lap?

    Our justice system is anything but just.

    Yehsiva Guy
    Yehsiva Guy
    15 years ago

    Balabusta,

    you are the problem with our society, who are you to make up the rules. do you know what peoples backgrounds, do you know or quite frankly even care where they are coming from? yo are a typical judgemental “better than you” frum lady. you are the one with issues – so theres no need to post it on the web for the whole world to ascertain. Go judge someone else. Im not saying AC/Vegas is the place to be, but you dont know if the person you see was wearing a yarmulka or skirt the week before. Maybe they are on the way to teshuva but its ppl like you that feel it neccasary to judge and turn off potential baal/bat teshuvos.

    balabusta
    balabusta
    15 years ago

    Yeshivah guy.

    I am a MO lady. Belive me when I say definately not a better than you type. As MO as I am I have enough morals to know that AC/Vegas is not the place to be if you are wearing the obvious clothing of a yeshivah guy or girl.

    When I was in college my frieds would call it the “Yoyli Patrol” when we saw an obvoius frum man or woman in a neighborhood or hangout not populated by many frum people. The women without the shaitlach or hats were not as easy to spot as the guys.

    It was so obvious that the guy removed the yarmulka and tucked in the payos but,the beard remained or if he did not then that was more of a reason to be spotted.

    Plus if you have not noticed yeshivah guys and girls have a specific accent. I notice that because that is part of my career.

    I’m not saying it was right to go on “Yoyli Patrol” but, at least we didn’t look like we were out of place.

    I think A/C is an immoral place-gambling, half dressed women serving drinks,and alot of other shady things that I would be banned for mentioning.

    While I believe clothing does not make the man but, deeds and actions do and I have said that in other posts there is a certain immage that a Jew has when they are dressed a certain way in the public eye. Believe me just because a man or woman dresses in the livush does not mean he/she is pious.