CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — A casino patron is alleging the Hard Rock Cafe casinos are illegally withholding players' full unused credits with its voucher redemption tickets system.
Vincent DiBenedetto, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint Nov. 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Hard Rock Cafe International (USA) Inc., alleging violation of the New York General Business Law, the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and other claims.
According to his class action, DiBendetto visited the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlantic City between June and October of 2022. He alleges that when he "cashed out his balances," he received a printed voucher with the balance owed and that when he cashed in the vouchers, he only received the whole dollar amount instead of the full ticket amount.
DiBendetto further alleges that when he received the cash-out vouchers from the machines instead of coins, he either inserted new tickets into the slots or discarded them due to "time, inconvenience and obstacles to redeeming them." He claims there is also no "meaningful" instruction available to players on where to cash in the remaining balance and that the practice "lures" customers to make more wagers while deterring them from waiting in long lines at cashier windows to redeem the full ticket amount.
DiBendetto also claims Hard Rock is unlawfully withholding coins remaining on cash-out tickets in order to increase profits.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC in Great Neck, New York, and James Chung of The Law Office of James Chung in Bayside, New York.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York Central Islip Division case number 2:22-CV-06759-JMA-AYS