Bellagio Hit with Lawsuit by Man Who Was Assaulted over Slot Jackpot

Hitting a jackpot win at a casino is a dream come true for many people, or at least a way to lift their mood and enjoy themselves. Yet, imagine if you were assaulted shortly after the win – this could definitely dampen your spirits.

Trio Seeks to Claim Another Player’s Jackpot

This is what happened to one patron identified as Joel Vargas-Guitierrez in public reporting, who supposedly won a jackpot but was shortly after assaulted by three people, two men and a woman.

“As a direct result of the incident, Mr. Vargas‑Gutierrez has suffered physical injuries, and mental and emotional distress, which required professional medical treatment, and he continues to deal with these symptoms to the present day,” the lawsuit explained.

Vargas-Guitierrez is now suing the casino and seeking north of $15,000 in damages, plus attorney fees, court costs, interest, punitive damages, and other relief that the courts deem appropriate. The incident is quite old, and dates back to December 12, 2024, when Vargas-Guitierrez supposedly won $2,600 playing the “Mo Mummy” slot machine.

He was obviously quite happy with what happened. A casino staffer came and said that Vargas-Guitierrez would have to wait a while for the casino to verify that everything is in order. While waiting, he decided to keep playing on a neighboring slot machine.

Then, the assailants showed up and saw the jackpot displayed. They quickly said that it was theirs for the taking – a statement to which he objected and informed the trio of the events that had transpired before their arrival.

Security Failed to Arrive Before the Confrontation Escalated

However, the assailants said that they would not back down and that the jackpot was theirs for the taking. Vargas-Guitierrez again objected, trying to calmly resolve the dispute. At this point, a brawl erupted, with one of the men stepping forward in a “threatening way,” which prompted a reaction from Vargas-Guitierrez, who took a swing in self-defense.

The woman then assaulted Vargas-Guitierrez as well, with the men leaping to take down the original slot winner, as per his complaint. Casino security failed to materialize on the gaming floor in a meaningful time, with the plaintiff describing their coming as too late into the dispute, after it had escalated significantly.

Vargas-Guitierrez claims to have suffered both emotional and physical injuries.