A Canadian judge has ruled that a woman is entitled to $112,350 in online gambling winnings, settling a dispute with her former boyfriend. The court determined that the funds belonged to the account holder, Cheryl Johnson, because the winnings were generated using her JackPotCity account.
Timothy Jones, Johnson's ex-boyfriend, sued Johnson in June, claiming he was owed the money because he was the one gambling when the winnings occurred. The couple's relationship had reportedly ended just weeks after the win.
The Winnings and the Dispute
The incident leading to the dispute occurred on April 13, 2022. Jones, a fisherman who was seasonally employed at the time, testified that he had received an Employment Insurance benefit payment that morning. He stated that he deposited $190 into Johnson's bank account, using $140 for meals and products for Johnson and her family, and $30 for pet food for Johnson's daughter. Later that day, $80 was transferred from Johnson's bank account to her online casino account.
Jones and Johnson disagreed on who the money belonged to and whose funds were used to initiate gambling. Jones asserted that the $80 was from the money he had previously placed in Johnson's account for his gambling, a claim Johnson contested. The couple also had conflicting accounts regarding who was operating the slot machine at the moment of the win.
Johnson's teenage son, Drake, who was underage at the time, testified that Jones would occasionally allow him to play slots and that he was pressing the buttons on the machine when the win occurred. This testimony was consistent with a Facebook post by Jones that read, "He won." Jones maintained the post referred to him, but the judge found this explanation lacked credibility.
Johnson's daughter and daughter-in-law also testified that they saw Drake using her computer before the winnings. Jones argued that even if Drake was playing, there was no legal reward for minors gambling under adult supervision.
The casino winnings were deposited into Johnson's bank account in installments. Jones stated that the couple had planned to use the money for him to visit his children and to purchase items for Johnson's family.
Court's Decision
Justice Tindale of the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled in favor of Johnson. The judge noted that Jones was using Johnson's online gambling account and her bank account to generate the winnings. Additionally, the court found that Jones owed Johnson approximately $1,400 for loans she had provided him during their relationship.
"The defendant has been entirely successful on this trial and is entitled to her costs," Justice Tindale wrote in the judgment. Attorneys for both parties were contacted for further comment.