Man Loses Court Battle Over C$120,000 Jackpot Won on Ex’s Casino Account
A Canadian man who scooped a C$120,000 (around US$85,500) online slot jackpot on his ex-girlfriend’s casino account has been told by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge that he has no legal right to the money, according to a report by Casino.org.
Timothy Jones, a 51-year-old commercial fisherman, had been playing on an account belonging to his then-partner Cheryl Johnson at JackpotCity when the jackpot landed. The pair split shortly afterwards, and Jones later sued Johnson for unjust enrichment, claiming he was entitled to C$112,000 — the balance remaining in the account at the time of their separation. His argument rested on the claim that he had deposited the C$80 stake and was therefore the rightful winner.
Johnson, however, told the court she had made the deposit herself while out shopping at Costco, and that she had explicitly forbidden Jones from using her account before the win — something Jones did not challenge. Justice Ronald Tindale accepted Johnson’s account of events and found that Jones had actually transferred C$190 into her bank account earlier that day, but that she had independently moved the C$80 into the casino account herself. The judge also noted that Jones still owed Johnson around C$1,400 at the time.
Jones further argued that a personal “strategy” of his had triggered the slot’s bonus round and generated the jackpot. Tindale dismissed this outright, noting that no such strategy can exist in a game of pure chance.
As Casino.org reported, the judge described Jones’ conduct as having “wrongfully converted” Johnson’s money for his own use. In his written ruling, Tindale stated that Jones “had no permission to use the Casino Account or the $80 which was transferred into the Casino Account.”
Adding an unusual twist, Johnson’s teenage son — who is below the legal gambling age in British Columbia — testified that Jones had called him over during a bonus round and that the boy had been pressing the buttons when the jackpot hit.
Johnson did acknowledge transferring Jones around C$5,200 at one point, but told the court she had done so simply to “get rid of him.” The judge ruled she was legally entitled to retain the rest of the winnings.
The case is a stark reminder that casino accounts are personal, and winnings generated without the account holder’s consent can have serious legal consequences. For more on how online casinos operate, visit our guides, or keep up with the latest developments in our casino news.
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