Do Not Go To The Seaport Casino

[Alex the Sane]

Greetings from Aruba. Tonight something happened at the Seaport Casino that could have ruined an otherwise great day.
My wife and I started the morning with a nice breakfast in our rented timeshare. We then spent some time on the beach before heading out to the Donkey Sanctuary. We then went back to the room to get ready for dinner at El Gaucho. We arrived early so we had a few drinks and I had a cigar at Garuta. After a fine dinner we decided to walk it off and stopped at the Seaport Casino, that's when the fun started.

My wife sat down at one 25 cent slot and I sat down at the one next to it. I found it odd that as soon as I put my $20 in, it dropped all the quarters out instead of posting the credits. So as I was playing I decided to put three quarters in the empty machine next to me and it hit the jackpot, 2,500 credits ($625.) As I waited to someone to show up to deal with my winnings, the person who was playing three machines down showed up followed by some members of the casino staff. This person was claiming that they were playing that machine and I used their credits. Keep in mind that the machine wasn't holding credits, if was immediately paying out.

After lengthy explanations about the events that transpired, they showed up with some papers that meant nothing. I asked to see the video but they said the feed wasn't working. So in the end, I left with no money. I don't know if it was because the person who claimed to have won was an Arubian just like the staff, but they immediately painted me as the liar and refused to listen to logic. In the end, my wife and I left (after I cursed a bit and knocked over a few chairs on the way out, I overreated, I know.) $625 clearly meant more to that person than it does to me, my biggest problem wasn't the money, it was being called a liar that really upset me. So in conclusion, I suggest that people stay away from the Seaport Casino. They don't have proper surveillance, they don't value the tourists who come in to spend their money.

Thanks for reading my venting. I'm still loving Aruba.

[Andrea J.]

could they not have reviewed the continual video surveillance to confirm?
what about the government employees that work there? there is at least one at the entrance(s). were they at all involved?

[Alex the Sane]

They claimed the surveillance camera was down for the area. They printed out some stats from the slot machine that made no sense and contradicted each other. I don't know who was a government employee, but none of them seemed to be on my side.

[cindyo]

Alex, I don't the sound of what happened to you one bit !!!
Thank you for bringing to our attention, its one less place we need to go in.
Seaport Casino, heed the warning.

[~Amy~®]

Wow! That stinks! I would be mad, too....not so much about the money but about the fraud that was committed and the fact that they called me a liar.

[fattypatty]

Wow! That stinks! I would be mad, too....not so much about the money but about the fraud that was committed and the fact that they called me a liar.

seaport casino....is that one by the pier across the ren? shady characters in that casino + crystal imo. i'm surprised they didn't take you into custody for flipping chairs over! you must have been so ticked!

[corona]

Wow, I would have blown a gasket too. What are the general "rules" regarding playing multiple machines? I would think you'd have to be pretty much in front or within arm's length to any machines you're laying claim to. If the other person had credits on the one that paid out (and I know you said that was pretty much a moot point anyway since the machines weren't holding credits), he should have been in control of the machine before you put your coins in it. When my husband and I take an evening stroll downtown, we've debated whether to walk in there or not. The answer is easy now...not.

[Alex the Sane]

And this person who claimed to have won WAS shady. (The reason I'm trying not to use gender specific pronouns in reference to this person is because we really didn't know which it was.) I was almost afraid of what would have happened if they did give me the money, I would have asked for an escort back to my car.

[sunnysmiles]

What a shame!!! Sorry that happened to you. Like you said, not worth the money at that point. I wonder how often that happens - as in do they do that all the time so they don't have to pay out any money? We won't be testing them!

[Andrea J.]

i am forwarding this thread to Jo-anne croes and to frits israel, marketing dept of the ATA.
this needs to be brought to their attention and possibly they can make inquiries.

andrea