A gambling addict from New Jersey is seeking a reevaluation of his claims against MGM Resorts International, including BetMGM and Borgata Online, by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Sam A. Antar, a high roller based in New Jersey, alleges that MGM took advantage of his diagnosed gambling addiction by showering him with gifts, constantly tempting him with promotional offers, and offering relentless financial incentives. Antar claims that he received thousands of text messages with these offers during a period in which he lost over $30 million while gambling.
During a discussion with the NJ court, US Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas raised doubts about the potential success of Antar’s claim, questioning whether he would have lost the $30 million regardless due to his gambling addiction. Bibas expressed uncertainty about how much of Antar’s losses could be attributed to the defense costs. Antar’s defense lawyer, Matthew Litt, pointed out a specific instance in August 2019 when the gambling sites were made aware of illegal activity related to Antar. Around the same time, a lawsuit was filed against Antar for defrauding investors of $550,000, some of which he used for gambling on the sites. Litt argued that this should have prompted MGM to intervene and prevent Antar from gambling further, as well as stop sending him incentives. However, MGM allegedly failed to take any action in response to these red flags.
The court has yet to reach a decision on the case, leaving Antar’s claims against MGM and its subsidiaries unresolved.