Lawsuit over ‘€43mn jackpot’

A Swiss man plans to sue Austrian casino bosses for being denied 43 million Euros after allegedly hitting the jackpot.

Behar Merlaku said he won the money at a slot machine at a casino in Bregenz, Vorarlberg, last March. However, operator Casinos Austria refused a payout, claiming that technicians discovered a software error. The company explained such a malfunction had never occurred ever before or after the controversial incident.

Now Merlaku’s Austrian lawyer announced his client planned to get Casinos Austria into court. Thomas Kerle said yesterday (Thurs) Merlaku demanded five million Euros from the firm. The advocate accused Casinos Austria of refusing to let independent experts check the slot machine in question. He also criticised the police for doing too little in investigating the occurrences. Prosecutors in Feldkirch rejected Kerle’s appeal to confiscate the machine.

A spokesman for Casinos Austria announced the firm was certain of being in the right, adding hitting the jackpot at the slot machine was impossible since it featured a 4,500-Euro limit.