Italian Man Fights Court Ruling Over Disputed San Marino Slot Machine Win

A legal dispute in San Marino has left a 44-year-old Italian man battling a court decision that denied him the majority of a nearly one million euro slot machine payout. The controversy began on August 6, 2018, when the man visited the Giochi del Titano gaming hall in Rovereta alongside four friends.

According to court documents, the player instructed his friends on which numbers to select, placing maximum bets of 25 euros per play across multiple terminals. Moments later, four separate machines registered wins totaling 958,000 euros, which included three prizes of 250,000 euros and one of 208,000 euros. With his friends' consent, the man presented himself to the staff as the sole recipient of the total sum.

The gaming hall, however, requested further verification before releasing the funds. On September 20, 2018, the player was given 250,000 euros, but the establishment refused to pay the remaining 708,000 euros. This refusal prompted the player to file a lawsuit against Giochi del Titano in August 2020.

Giochi del Titano contested the player's account by presenting employee reports and video surveillance footage. The company argued that the man had handed cash directly to his friends inside the hall just before the bets were placed, violating internal regulations that prohibit playing through intermediaries and transferring money between patrons.

The State Gaming Authority of San Marino also noted irregularities in the payouts across the separate terminals. Article 3.3 of the general gaming regulations forbids claiming prizes that belong to someone else, while Article 3.6 prohibits any exchange or loan of money, tickets, or tokens among visitors inside the gaming halls.

The player disputed the interpretation of the events, stating to reporters that he did not lend money to his friends and that they were simply playing with his funds. Despite his arguments, the first-instance court ruled in favor of Giochi del Titano on September 16, 2024, concluding that simultaneous play through intermediaries alters economic risk indices and violates rules.

Having lost the initial case, the 44-year-old has appealed the verdict and plans to present testimony from other individuals who reportedly won prizes under similar circumstances in the same year. In the meantime, the court ruling has left him facing significant legal costs. "If it really ends up this way, I will have to mortgage my house because otherwise I do not know how to pay them," the man stated.