Legal question - given too much money

Legacy_user

I'm having a debate with a friend.

We went to the casino last week where my friend won £75. He went to the cashier to cash in the chips and they gave him £200 back.

He noticed the error and walked out with the money.

I'm not interested in the moral debate here as obviously we have different moral standards.

The question is has he broken any law? I believe it may be covered under the "Unjust enrichment law" but the details of this are vague.

Any ideas?

maninthestreet

Perhaps we should wait for the thread in the Employment section started by a casino employee whose wages have been docked £125 because their till was short and wants to know what his rights are?

System

maninthestreet wrote: »

Perhaps we should wait for the thread in the Employment section started by a casino employee whose wages have been docked £125 because their till was short and wants to know what his rights are?

In fairness he should have been more competent.

However I am more interested in what the legal position is as opposed to whether my friend is a terrible person or not!

ljonski

The only fair way to sort this out is to tell him to go back and stick £125 on red and then its double or quits!

bris

It could very well be illegal because you know and have accepted money that does not belong to you, a bit like theft by finding.

If a bank gives you money by mistake you are committing a criminal offence if you knowingly spend it, it's called "retaining wrongful credit" this could be a very similar thing.

The fact is however it's unlikely to be discovered now, but if they ask you for it back, you should give them it.

earthstorm

bris wrote: »

The fact is however it's unlikely to be discovered now, but if they ask you for it back, you should give them it.

It will have been noticed when they cashed the till at the end of the day, but they would not know who the extra would have been given too

halibut2209

I expect the cashing area is well covered by CCTV

System

halibut2209 wrote: »

I expect the cashing area is well covered by CCTV

I find it very unlikely that CCTV could pinpoint in the hundred of transactions that took place which person received too much money for the chips that are handed over.

It sounds like that legally he's done nothing wrong and is only a terrible person morally.

I find this disappointing.

halibut2209

Did you not read post 5?

If a cash machine gives you too much money, you will be liable to pay it back. An error does not mean entitlement.

System

halibut2209 wrote: »

Did you not read post 5?

If a cash machine gives you too much money, you will be liable to pay it back. An error does not mean entitlement.

Thats not actually true.

The bank just takes the money back as they have access to your account and this scenario is covered by the T's & C's you've agreed with the bank when you set up your account. There are circumstances where you can keep the money.

In a casino transaction like my friend had there are no T's & C's that have been agreed between the casino and himself. He has just handed over some chips and received the cash back

I was hoping for someone to point out which law he has violated. I actually think he has violated a law but I can't find any proof of this.

I am close to losing my bet and having to buy him a Krispy Kreme

ThumbRemote

goater78 wrote: »

I find it very unlikely that CCTV could pinpoint in the hundred of transactions that took place which person received too much money for the chips that are handed over.

If it's a sensible casino they should be able to. However it's unlikely to be worth the cost of their time to do so.

Casinos tend to have very high quality CCTV systems to catch fraction of a second sleight of hands. They also tend to be linked to the tills, to record what transactions are going through.