A company-wide casino ban slapped on one professional poker player has sparked a debate about the power which such businesses are legally allowed to wield. TwoPlusTwo user NNNobodYYYargues that the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore acted unethically and perhaps outside of the law when it ejected him from the property on various occasions.

The story begins with NNNobodYYY dropping by the newly opened Horseshoe Baltimore last September and quickly losing $8,700 playing blackjack. The loss prompts the casino to start sending substantial bonus offers to the poker player for $270, then $475.

“I show up around 2 pm and play a $475 match play on the ‘first 12’ bet on roulette,” he said. “It spins the number 10 and I win, but they tell me they cannot pay me out because the match play is only valid on even money bets. In the fine print on the back of the coupon it does state this so I don’t argue.”

Shortly after, casino security told NNNobodYYY that he had to leave the premises, but refused to explain for what reason. After he returned home, Horseshoe again sent him promotional offers, this time for $180 in free Best Buy gift cards in exchange for his entry into a $350 poker tournament. He returned to the casino, bought in, and began playing the tournament until security once again asked him to leave.

They didn’t offer me a refund for the buy-in, which would have still been worth far less than my chip value at the time,” he said. “I refused to leave because they were stealing from me and I had every right to the seat I paid for.”

One security official then began to push the poker player out of the casino, who fell down twice after losing his balance. The police were called and NNNobodYYY was barred from all Caesars properties, still without any explanation of what he had done wrong. “I thought he had no authority to do this, especially since it’s not legal in New Jersey to bar people for no reason,” he continued.

After receiving more bonus offers through the mail, NNNobodYYY decided to return to the casino once again and was promptly taken into a security room for questioning. “First they said that I was drunk on 12/23 and falling on the floor making a scene,” he said. “I told them I had no drinks and Darren Griffin had pushed me to the floor and I requested those tapes be preserved.”

After discussing the incident amongst themselves, security officials told NNNobodYYY that the reason for his ban was due to a trip where he and a friend had played blackjack at the Linqin Las Vegas. NNNobodYYY revealed that they had been kicked out after his friend had been conspicuously counting cards. The manager, however, told the pair to return the next day and he would explain the reason why. They never did receive any explanation from management.

The Maryland Gaming Control Agency then got involved and ordered that the Horseshoe Baltimore return his $350 tournament buy-in as it was “clear that I haven’t broken any rules or done anything wrong.”

Pressing his luck, NNNobodYYY returned again to the Horseshoe and was kicked out one final time, with a security official warning him that “if your parents find out about this, they’re going to stop supporting you and you’re going to have to get a job.”

Reactions to the tale were mixed on TwoPlusTwo, but most agreed that the situation was handled poorly by both parties. However, “under Maryland law it is perfectly legal for property owners to impose long-term and even lifetime bands on private property,” responded au4hall.

“When you’re told to leave establishment, even if they’re completely in the wrong, you have to leave,” added SrslySirius.

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