A very curious case occurred at the Central County Court of London, England. Dr. Mortaza Sahibzada, a professional poker player, sued the “Hippodrome Casino” demanding compensation of £100,000 (US$ 134,000). However, his request was denied by the presiding judge.
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It all started in September 2023, when the traditional gaming venue banned the player from the poker tables. Apparently, the reason was the intense complaints from other players about misconduct exhibited by Mortaza. However, the complaints referred to something the professional called a strategy.
Thus, Mortaza applied a technique he called “hit and run”. After winning about £75, the player left the tables, preventing opponents from having a chance to recover the lost money. According to him, this strategy allowed him to earn more than £2,000 per month.
However, it is worth noting that playing “cash-game” sessions in this way does not violate the rules of the London casino. The problem is that the vast majority of players consider this practice to be in poor taste. In Brazil, most poker clubs impose a minimum time at the table before a player can leave the game while winning.
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How was the trial?
When filing a lawsuit against the “Hippodrome Casino,” the player claimed that the venue sided with wealthy players who disliked his strategy. Mortaza even indicated that he suffered racism from the venue’s staff. The compensation amount of £100,000 was calculated based on the professional’s earnings at the venue.
However, the court ruled the lawsuit unfounded. According to the “Independent” website, Judge Andrew Holmes stated that there are no clear grounds for the accusation. “I cannot see how it can be said that there was any breach of a specific contract in these circumstances”, the magistrate said.
Finally, the case was closed with the principle that the casino has the right to decide who enters its premises and uses its space. Regarding the racism claim, the court stated there was insufficient evidence to influence the player’s ban. Furthermore, there is no clear proof to justify compensation.
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