In November of 2023, a loyal Pechanga player of  more than 20 years sat down at a blackjack table in the high limit area. After approximately 6 hours, Pechanga security arrested the player for being intoxicated. The player was taken to the Riverside County Jail and booked for public intoxication.

          When the player was released from jail the next morning, he took an Uber back to Pechanga to retrieve his vehicle and belongings from his room. On the Uber ride back, the player noticed that his bank had sent him multiple text and email alerts regarding a $50,000 cash withdrawal that had taken place at Pechanga the night before. Since the player had a $1,500 daily cash withdrawal limit with no cash advance capabilities on his ATM/debit card, he assumed that it was a mistake and he would have it corrected when he got back to Pechanga. The player had little recollection of the evening and no recollection of the transaction but he did know that it was not possible to withdraw $50,000 from a casino on a Sunday night when banks are closed. When the player arrived back at Pechanga, he received a lifetime ban.  Pechanga provided the player with a ledger for a $50,000 transaction without a name or a signature. The player still had his ATM/debit card in his possession that morning. How could this have happened?

          With the assistance of the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control and the California Department of Justice, the player learned that he was served 18-22 bourbons, or the equivalent of a full bottle, in that 6 hour period or 3-4 times the amount of alcohol recommended to safely consume in 6 hours. The player's blood alcohol content was likely a potentially lethal, fatal and life threatening .36-.44%!!! Furthermore, the player learned that he had only been banned from gambling longer and being served even more alcohol because he had tossed his last money at the dealer to exchange for chips.

          The player also learned that in order to get the $50,000 transaction approved, Pechanga had circumvented his banking safeguards and fraudulently coded the transaction. Then in just 2 hours, the player lost the $50,000. To no one's surprise, the player had no recollection of the transaction or arrest and little recollection of playing blackjack. With a blood alcohol content of .36-.44%, the player was so extremely intoxicated and was in such a state of diminished capacity, that he likely could not read the cards and certainly could not have understood the risks of withdrawing a portion of his retirement at a casino.

          Pechanga's Tribal Gaming Compact with the State of California specifically states that they will follow all alcohol laws and create and enforce a responsible gaming policy. The player has never gambled with such a staggering amount of money or for those stakes at Pechanga or any other casino ever. Even with the obvious signs of extreme alcohol intoxication and a player in distress, if the player had not thrown his last money at the dealer, inconceivably Pechanga would have continued to serve him even more alcohol and fraudulently facilitated access to even more of the player's retirement allowing the player to gamble himself into extinction. As an unnamed California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control agent told the player, "As long as you have money and are gambling, they will continue to serve you regardless of how intoxicated you are. Pechanga is notorious for taking advantage of their guests."