Dublin gambler loses €15,000 payout battle against casino over machine error
A Dublin gambler has lost a legal battle against D1 Casino after the venue refused to pay out his winnings. Sayed Mirwais claimed he was owed over €15,000 from two separate wins, but the casino argued the payouts were invalid due to a machine error. A civil court judge has now ruled in favour of the casino, leaving Mirwais without compensation.
The dispute began when Mirwais won approximately €7,500 ($8,000) at the D1 Casino in Dublin. Instead of receiving the full amount, he was given only about $2,700 in cash. Later, he won an additional $7,200, but casino staff informed him the machine was under investigation and that he would not receive the money.
D1 Casino, a small venue with just seven table games and a limited slot machine area, relied on the Gaming and Lottery Act of 1956. This law states that no legal action can be taken to recover money allegedly won in gambling. The judge upheld this position, dismissing Mirwais' claim. Under Irish law, casinos are not legally required to pay out winnings. Similar cases in other countries, such as Germany, have seen courts rule that contracts with unlicensed casinos are void, blocking gamblers from recovering losses or winnings. However, no clear legal precedent exists in Austria or Malta, where gambling laws remain under debate.
The ruling leaves Mirwais without the disputed winnings and reinforces the legal protections for Irish casinos. Gamblers in Ireland currently have no legal recourse if a casino refuses to pay out. The case highlights the risks players face when disputes arise over machine errors or payout policies.
