Judge Donna Taylor ruled in favor of Golden Nugget Casino in a lawsuit against 14 gamblers, saying the games did not conform to the state’s gambling regulations, according to The Daily Mail.
"The dealer did not pre-shuffle the cards immediately prior to the commencement of play, and the cards were not pre-shuffled in accordance with any regulation," the judge wrote. "Thus, a literal reading of the regulations… entails that the game violated the (Casino Control) Act, and consequently was not authorized."
The gamblers argued that “it is not their fault the cards were not shuffled,” adding that they should be able to keep the money.
In a mini-baccarat card game at the casino in April 2012, the players had realized a pattern in which cards were emerging, so they upped their bets from $10 to $5,000 and won 41 straight hands.
The Golden Nugget casino claims the eight decks of cards used in the game had not been shuffled by the manufacturer before they were used.
