A server has sued MGM National Harbor, alleging the casino took a $76,000 tip she received from a baccarat player who had a nice run at the tables.
The federal lawsuit against the Maryland property claims casino management violated labor laws and committed conversion theft (illegally taking control of someone else’s property, contradicting the owner’s rights) by taking the five-figure gratuity from server Tajia Mackyeon.
FindLaw reports the tip would have been more than five times her annual normal salary. The alleged incident took place on April 13. Mackyeon had been serving a high-stakes baccarat player for several hours.
“Around 2 a.m., he put chips worth $76,000 in Mackyeon’s hands,” according to FindLaw. “Three times she asked the customer if he was sure, and three times he confirmed that he wanted Mackyeon to have them. Then he went back to the tables and continued to gamble.”
Chips Returned To Player
The lawsuit alleges the server’s manager and table games manager promptly took possession of the chips. Mackyeon said she “believed that if she did not comply, she would be forced to do so.”
After the incident, Mackyeon learned the casino returned the funds to the gambler. According to the plaintiff, MGM policy mandates staff intervention when a player could be impaired while gambling.
However, the lawsuit argues that management didn’t intervene because the gambler “was not in any apparent state of confusion or impairment” at the time that he gave Mackyeon the tip. The server’s attorney pointed out that if the gambler “had placed a $76,000 roulette bet on ‘red,’ and lost, [the casino] would not have given it back.”
Mackyeon argues MGM management violated federal and Maryland labor law, including conspiracy, tortious interference with her economic advantage, and intentional infliction of emotional distress on her.
MGM hasn’t responded to the complaint.
Other MGM Lawsuits
Some casino properties pool tips between the entire staff. In other words, bartenders, barbacks, and servers share their tips. The lawsuit doesn’t indicate that that was the policy at MGM.
The company has faced several unique lawsuits in recent years. In March, a Nevada federal judge ruled that a high-stakes gambler’s lawsuit against the company could proceed. The gambler alleged someone spiked his drink with ketamine while playing high-limit blackjack at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in December 2021.
Last year, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a woman can proceed with a lawsuit against online gaming platform BetMGM over $3 million in disputed gambling winnings. The company also reached a $45 million deal with the Federal Trade Commission last year after a major data breach in 2023.
