Canadian Gambler Fights 888 Over $1 Million Jackpot Glitch

A Canadian gambler who believed he had won more than C$1.3 million (US$950,000) playing online slots is still fighting 888casino for the money seven months after the operator wiped the winnings.

The operator claims the software malfunctioned, which it said rendered the jackpot payouts invalid.

James Kotylak, 42, of Alberta, told Gaming America he had planned to use the windfall to buy his 91-year-old grandmother’s farm and preserve it for his daughter.

Instead, he has spent months challenging the operator’s explanation, seeking records of his gameplay, and trying to find an independent body willing to adjudicate his complaint.

Million-Dollar Winning Streak

Kotylak was playing Pragmatic Play’s Floating Dragon – Year of the Snake on March 16 when a succession of Jackpot Drop prizes sent his balance soaring.

He claims he received around 15 congratulatory emails from 888, including notifications of diamond jackpots worth C$85,703.77 apiece.

But when he attempted to withdraw C$47,000, the transaction was blocked. He says 888 subsequently removed C$1,267,003 in winnings from his account, citing an internal error.

Kotylak argues that 888 continued accepting wagers after identifying the problem.

He claims he completed 734 spins during the affected period, including wagers placed after the operator began investigating the malfunction.

Thousands of Jackpots Awarded in Error

The incident affected several Evoke-owned gambling sites, including 888, William Hill, and Mr Green.

An internal report reviewed by Casino.org attributed the malfunction to testing software mistakenly deployed in the live gaming environment.

The error generated 35,072 jackpot hits, compared with an expected 518 during the equivalent period the previous week, suggesting the amount awarded in error ran into multiple millions.

According to the report, the malfunction began at 3:10 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time on March 16, with an investigation beginning at 3:21 a.m. and the issue resolved at 3:49 a.m.

Kotylak says he began playing at 3:19 a.m., just two minutes before the investigation began.

No Independent Resolution

Kotylak has struggled for help challenging the decision.

888 initially directed him to independent dispute resolution service eCOGRA, but he was told that Canadian players were outside its jurisdiction.

He says the operator later acknowledged providing incorrect information about the available complaints process.

The Gibraltar Gambling Division concluded in May that the dispute concerned contractual enforceability and required a judicial determination.

Kotylak now wants to sue 888 but says he has struggled to find legal representation and may pursue the case himself.

British courts have in the past ordered gambling operators to honor disputed jackpot wins despite claims of software errors, including judgments against Betfred and Paddy Power.