New Zealand man denied $60,000 winnings due to self imposed ban

A Wellington man won $60,000 at Auckland's SkyCity Casino but was denied the prize because of a self-imposed ban he thought had expired. Sothea Sinn, 28, was playing Caribbean Stud – a card game similar to poker – on Wednesday when he pulled in the big haul. Needing a royal flush to win more than $600,000, Mr Sinn drew a straight flush and, he thought, the $60,000 that went with it. "I was the happiest guy in the world."

When he went to collect the money, he says he was taken to a small room with a SkyCity security guard who took his details before casino and Internal Affairs representatives arrived and said he would not be paid due to a ban he put on himself six years ago. As part of the re-entry criteria, he was required to undergo six counselling sessions which he had not done. "I was absolutely gutted."



Mr Sinn said he and his girlfriend banned themselves in 2004 because he was gambling too much. After several years in Australia and now Wellington since leaving Auckland, he had forgotten about the ban, which was only for two years. Wednesday's visit was his first to the casino since 2005. He did not have a gambling problem, he said. He was told by Internal Affairs representatives that SkyCity was not legally obliged to pay up because he was banned.

SkyCity executive Peter Treacy said that, when people were banned, they were required to complete steps, including counselling sessions, to prove they no longer had a gambling problem before being allowed back in. "When someone comes in in breach of an exclusion order, it's illegal." Internal Affairs said self-imposed bans were not uncommon. Gambling inspector Andrew McAllum said that, if Mr Sinn wanted to make a complaint, the department would look into the matter.