Absolute Radio: Discover real music

Las Vegas gambler sues Caesars Palace

A Las Vegas gambler who lost $112 million (£67 million) in a year, is suing the owner of Caesars Palace, claiming casino staff "milked" him by plying him with alcohol and prescription drugs.

Terry Watanabe, 52, says he lived and gambled "non-stop" at Caesars Palace for six months in 2007, spending a fortune on roulette and slot machines.

After an epic losing streak, he ran up gambling debts of around $15 million (£9 million) and was subsequently charged with theft, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Watanabe is countering the criminal charges with a civil suit in which he accuses Harrah's, the owners of Caesars Palace, of fraud, breach of contract, conspiracy and negligence.

He claims company executives manipulated him with a "secret intention" of siphoning off his wealth.

Harrah's, the world's largest gambling company by revenue, is adamant there was no wrong-doing.

A spokesman said: "We have a long-standing history of responsible and ethical practices.

"We're licensed in more jurisdictions than any other gaming company. We stand by our record."

Mr Watanabe is a Nebraska-based philanthropist and the former owner of Oriental Trading Co, a huge direct marketing company for novelties and party items.

He has also filed a complaint with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and says he staked a total of more than $825 million (£495 million) in 2007 at Caesars Palace and the Rio casino, also owned by Harrah's The complaint says: "Mr Watanabe was an obvious gambling addict and Caesars and Harrah's senior management made a conscious decision to exploit his well-known addiction."

Mr Watanabe alleges that casino employees provided him with prescription painkillers that, combined with an endless flow of alcohol, "rendered him utterly intoxicated and unfit to gamble."

His Los Angeles-based lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, said the criminal prosecution against Mr Watanabe was "meritless."

He said: "Terry Watanabe is innocent of any crime and Harrah's owes him money."

Mr Watanabe was regarded as one of Las Vegas's "whales," a nickname for epic gamblers.

His lawyers claim his gambling at Caesars Palace and Rio accounted for around 20 per cent of revenue at both casinos in 2006 and 2007. He is currently on $1.5 million (£900,000) bail.