Aztar Wins Lawsuit Filed by Problem Gambler

Aztar Corp., parent company of the Tropicana, won a summary judgment on Wednesday, dismissing it from all claims in a federal lawsuit filed by an addicted gambler who claimed the Casino Aztar knew of his addiction yet allowed him to gamble and lose everything. The Evansville, Indiana case, filed last year by David Williams, 52, differed from other such suits involving problem gamblers and casinos because of its claim that Aztar knew of his addiction, previously took responsibility by banning him from its Casino Aztar riverboat, then lured him back, according to Williams’ attorney, Terry Noffsinger. U.S. District Court Judge John Tinder wrote in his ruling Wednesday: The case documented Williams' "long and embarrassing spiral downward through the (addictive) circles of Hell. (But) despite his counsel's creative efforts and regardless of Williams' sympathetic plight, neither federal nor Indiana law provides him any refuge or reward." Williams, who lost an estimated $175,000 at the casino, had sought unspecified damages based on claims that Aztar violated federal and state racketeering laws and had committed tortious breaches of duty and fraud