Sometimes, casino games offered online and in person malfunction or, colloquially, glitch.
In a July 2025 opinion, the Michigan Supreme Court established precedent that Michigan consumers have standing to sue over these “glitches.”
It doesn’t mean these lawsuits will be successful, but consumers have a way to challenge assertions that their winnings were due to a software error.
In 2021, a player of the BetMGM online casino thought she won roughly $3 million over several days. The gambler, Jacqueline Davis, did not receive her winnings because BetMGM said the game she was playing, Luck o’ the Roulette, malfunctioned.
Her attorney, Mark Granzotto, said in a court filing that BetMGM has not produced “much evidence as to what actually happened.”
Davis sued in state court for fraud and breach of contract.
BetMGM Casino Roulette Glitch
Here’s a summary of what happened:
- On March 18, 2021, Davis deposited $50 into BetMGM and wagered $4.50 on Luck o’ the Roulette.
- Davis lost her first bet, but by the end of her first day of play, her wagers had increased to $150 per spin.
- Her account reflected a balance of $20,077.
- Three days later, her wagers were $5,000, and her account balance was $3,289,500.
- Later, Davis requested a $100,000 withdrawal from her account.
- BetMGM approved the $100,000 withdrawal.
- By email, BetMGM congratulated Davis on her winnings.
- BetMGM offered to coordinate withdrawal options for the remaining balance.
- Shortly after Davis withdrew the $100,000, BetMGM emailed Davis to inform her that her account had been suspended because of the “volume of play generated.”
- BetMGM investigated Davis’ play history, determining that winnings had erroneously been credited to her account because the game had malfunctioned on various spins.
- BetMGM internally determined that, instead of becoming a millionaire, her account should have gone to zero around her 368th roulette spin.
- BetMGM refused to remit the winnings.
MI Casino Case Can Proceed
BetMGM argued that only the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), which regulates online gambling, had the authority to resolve the dispute.
The casino operator attempted to use the 2019 Michigan Lawful Internet Gaming Act as a defense against Davis’ lawsuit, seeking to have it dismissed.
The MGCB said it had “no authority to award any money or other relief” in the case.
The Board can issue fines against online casinos stemming from glitches and patron disputes.
But it can’t adjudicate a $3 million fraud and breach of contract lawsuit against BetMGM.
To sum up the situation: Davis was temporarily out of luck, and her case needed a lifeline.
Despite legal setbacks for Davis, the Michigan Supreme Court agreed to take up the issue. Citing common law, the high court ruled unanimously that Davis’ case can proceed in Wayne County Circuit Court.
Black Eye for Online Casino Industry
It does appear that Luck O’ the Roulette, the game Davis played, had malfunctioned.
According to BetMGM’s internal analysis, her account should have gone broke, mathematically speaking, after a few hundred plays.
Instead, she “won” millions. The Michigan Supreme Court called it a “heater of epic magnitude.”
Online gamblers have won seven-figure jackpots, but these enormous wins come from a single play—not sustained heaters over nearly a week.
Despite depositing just $50, Davis eventually was betting $5,000 per spin.
Did she realize something was broken with the game?
If not, the rapid increase in bet sizes was a clear sign of problem gambling. BetMGM didn’t step in to restrict the account of someone wagering extraordinary sums of money.
Gambling addiction is a crisis in Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S.
The Davis case is embarrassing for BetMGM and highlights how dangerous gambling is permitted on the platform.
BetMGM’s legal team argued that its terms and conditions—approved by state regulators—state that malfunctions void winnings. It is improbable Davis will succeed in claiming the $3.2 million, but the parties may settle out of court.
From an addiction standpoint, the case is another black eye for the industry.
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