Bally's casino jackpot winner says he hasn't been paid a dime because of his immigration status
An immigrant seeking asylum in the U.S. said he won a jackpot at the Bally's temporary casino in downtown Chicago earlier this month, but he can't get paid because of his immigration status.
Normally, when someone wins a jackpot on a slot machine, they're given their earnings within minutes, but that's not what happened in this case.
The game of chance was more than a week ago, and still the winner hasn't received a dime or an explanation.
"I've been a regular since they opened, and I've won 11 jackpots, I believe, in the past and never had any problems," said Nick, who asked to conceal his identity. He expressed concerns as an immigrant in today's political climate.
On Dec. 20, he hit the jackpot on a slot machine at the Bally's temporary casino in River North. He said he presented Bally's with his ID – a legitimate, limited-term REAL ID issued to immigrants like Nick.
In Illinois, asylum seekers with proper documentation can obtain limited-term REAL IDs that are valid for the duration of their authorized stay in the U.S.
"This time, however, they decided to not pay off, because of my limited-term ID, and I've always had that kind of ID," Nick said.
He said his earnings would have been $1,250 that day.
"It would mean a lot … especially now for the holidays," he said.
Elihu Feustel, a gaming consultant and casino expert, said a REAL ID is normally sufficient to cash in a jackpot anywhere in the country.
"His limited-term ID is issued to people who are not residents of the U.S., but are here temporarily – in his case, requesting asylum – and as we discussed, it's more difficult and more stringent to get that than it is to get a regular REAL ID driver's license," Feustel said.
Meantime, Nick has been going back and forth with Bally's for days, with no resolution.
"Knowing that our state and our city is, like, protecting all these immigrants and stuff, and then they're just like ... it felt discriminatory, that's all," Nick said.
Bally's declined to comment on Nick's case. CBS News Chicago also asked them to provide their policy on limited-term REAL IDs, but they did not do so.