Numerous gamblers in Colorado have found themselves on the wrong side of the law for seemingly minor violations. Some of these gamblers have even earned themselves criminal records in the process. Most gamblers would agree that if you sit down at a slot machine and there’s a little bit of money in there from the previous player, it’s ok to start spinning. The state of Colorado disagrees though.
Colorado has prosecuted hundreds of gamblers since 2012 for minor violations.
Colorado Gamblers Need to Watch Out
According to news reports, hundreds of gamblers have had trouble with the law due to a relatively unknown Colorado law, which has been around since 2012. Many gamblers have been cited, or even arrested for breaking this particular law. Nearly 500 gamblers have been arrested in Gilpin Country for breaking this law, with nearly 80 of the players actually receiving jail sentences.
These arrests and jail sentences are a result of a very strict interpretation of the law. This strict interpretation means that the Colorado Division of Gaming has to investigate any and all instances when a casino customer uses money that belonged to another player.
Colorado Aggressively Adheres to particular Law
While this law is obviously very important to prevent theft, some of the cases have been ludicrous. One instance happened to a gambler called Dan. While he was playing the slot machines, he noticed the machine next to him had $2 left in it, so he played it. The next time he visited the casino, he was escorted upstairs by security and told he stole $2. He landed up pleading guilty to misdemeanor fraud. He had to pay $250 in fines; was banned from the casino for one year, had to complete 24 hours of community service and pay for several other fees. That seems pretty silly for a minor violation.
Another case saw a gambler getting convicted of fraud, after playing 76c that had been left in the slot machine. He had also put $20 of his own money into the particular slot. Most states have laws that allow the casinos themselves to claim leftover money. However, how the laws are enforced vary. Typically, the more popular gambling destinations like Las Vegas and Atlantic City, tend to be more forgiving than other places, such as Colorado.
