Floating casinos have been established in many states in the Mid-West and South, and our firm has been involved in representing them in admiralty law matters. We have litigated whether particular casinos are vessels in navigation. We have been involved in issues regarding the purchase and sale of casino vessels. We have handled cases involving damage to casino structures. We have defended casinos in many personal injury cases brought by employees and patrons.
Representation of floating casinos involves practical and legal considerations that are unique. The gaming industry is highly regulated and understanding the regulatory schemes is often necessary to effectively represent a casino in particular cases. Casinos have surveillance cameras and preserving surveillance video can be helpful in defending the casino against injury claims. Casinos are certified and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard, and knowledge of inspection procedures and documentation is helpful. A basic understanding of the operations of casinos is also necessary. Floating casinos have many classifications of employees, and understanding the work of different employees (hard count, cashiers, change cart personnel, dealers, food service, housekeeping, etc.) is also essential to effective representation of casinos.
With respect to claims brought by casino employees, determining whether the employees are seamen entitled to sue under the Jones Act or land based workers covered by workers’ compensation is crucial. This issue involves where particular employees work and whether the gambling facility is a vessel in navigation. Since floating casinos are generally on navigable waters, patron claims often involve maritime law issues. Alcoholic beverages are served at most casinos and issues relating to the consumption of alcohol can be implicated in patron claims. Smoking is generally allowed at casinos and our firm has been involved in litigation regarding second-hand smoke exposure at casinos.
