Dotty’s Sued for ‘Safe’ Marketing by Woman Shot, Paralyzed in Robbery

A grandmother who was left paralyzed after a robbery at a branch of Dotty’s in Oregon is suing the slots parlor chain for marketing itself as a safe space for older women.

Plaintiff Gallo Crawford, 64, was shot by a still-unidentified individual on Dec. 20, 2023, while patronizing a Dotty’s venue in Troutdale, part of the Portland metropolitan area.

Crawford was paralyzed in the lower portion of her body, is now confined to a wheelchair, and continues to receive significant medical care and attention, according to her lawyer.

She is seeking $82 million in damages from Dotty’s parent company, Oregon Restaurant Services, Inc., for negligence, negligent misrepresentation, and fraudulent misrepresentation.

“[…T]he original founder of the Dotty’s Chain of Taverns and Casinos developed a marketing and customer demographic strategy focused primarily on inviting and encouraging middle-aged women to patronize Dotty’s Tavern and Casinos,” reads the complaint, adding that Dotty’s was marketed as a “safe and secure local Tavern and Casino venue.”

Misleading Marketing?

Dotty’s was founded in Oregon in 1991, the year that state’s legislature legalized video poker machines in bars and taverns.

Today, the brand operates around 175 venues in Oregon, Nevada, and Montana. Its business model is relatively controversial since it focuses heavily on gambling and less on food and drink.

Nevertheless, its target demographic has always been middle-aged women who may be turned off by other, more male-dominated slots parlors.

The brand “Dotty’s” itself conjures a sense of “personal security, safety, comfort, and nostalgia,” the lawsuit argued. And its choice of advertising around channels and programs that focus on middle-aged women, including “The View” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” reinforced this feeling, the suit claims.

Previous Target

In reality, Dotty’s failed to provide adequate security to protect customers and deter robberies, despite knowing the location had previously been the target of violent incidents, according to the complaint.

The venue employed minimal staff and lacked alarm systems, video monitoring, and bullet-proof glass near cash registers, the lawsuit alleges.

Dotty’s marketing strategy was intended to create an expectation, belief, confidence, assurance, and/or representation that the Dotty’s Troutdale and other Dotty’s Taverns and Casinos… were a physically safe and secure place for middle aged women, safe from risk of harm from violent criminal activity,” it states.

Oregon Restaurant Services has declined to comment on the lawsuit.