At area casino, winning is half the battle
By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell/Reprinted from the Kansas City
Hispanic News
When Hector Garcia hit a jackpot on a slot machine at Ameristar
(formerly Station) Casino on Jan. 14, lights flashed and bells rang
as everyone around him congratulated him on the win.
First he was startled -- and then he was very happy.
What he didn't count on was the trouble he would have collecting.
"I gave them my own Kansas photo ID (to get in)," Garcia told
Kansas City Hispanic News through his interpreter. "They gave me a
boarding pass and I played and won."
Garcia, a Mexican citizen, came to the U.S. to visit the family
of his friend, Bernardino Bravo. Bravo lives in and owns businesses
in the United States.
The two men had spent between $200 and $300 between them when
Garcia hit the $5,000 jackpot.
"I lent him the money to play, so he wanted me to have the money,
but I told him he hit it so it was his money," Bravo said.
Bravo accompanied Garcia to the money window to help him collect
his jackpot because Garcia speaks very little English.
"They asked him for his ID and we handed them his Kansas ID
card," Bravo said. "They told us that they needed a Social Security
number."
Bravo said he told the clerk Garcia didn't have a Social Security
number. "He is visiting this country," Bravo recalls telling the
clerk. "They told me, 'We have to see a green card, or something
with his legal status on it.'"
A "green card" is the slang term for a "residential alien" card
issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to prove
resident or employment status. Residential alien cards, which were
green in the past, are now light pink in color.
Over the course of the past two years, KCHN has heard from
numerous readers who called the newsroom to say they have had a hard
time collecting jackpots from all of the Kansas City-area casinos.
Due to the sensitive nature of possible legal documentation issues,
many of the callers declined to be interviewed for the record.
Hector Garcia and Bernardino Bravo said they felt the public
should be informed so that Kansas City casino customers are not
confused over state and federal identification requirements to claim
large jackpots.
At Ameristar, "I told them that I had a Social Security number
and that they could use mine," said Bravo, who speaks fluent English
with a heavy accent. "But they would not let us do that. They said
Hector put the coin in, so he was the one who had to claim the
jackpot. They were asking for a green card, which I found was
offensive. I don't think they ask their white customers who don't
have an accent for a green card."
After another supervisor was called to the cashiers' area and
requested the same identification, Bravo said that he and Garcia
left the casino without Garcia's winnings.
According to Raul Murguia, youth coordinator and community
activist for El Centro, the resident alien card is only issued for
employment and immigration status purposes.
"I don't think a casino operation fits into those requirements,"
he said. "No one can conclude, based on looks, what (Garcia's)
resident status is, so I would consider that discriminatory and a
violation of civil rights. (The casinos) aren't asking for this type
of documentation (for customers) to lose their money, so they
shouldn't require it for them to win it back."
Murguia added that he went to the same casino with his father,
and that his father was not allowed in because the only ID he had
with him was a Mexican driver's license. The ticketing agent told
them he needed a passport.
"We just didn't think of bringing his passport," he said. "And I
understand the requirements and tax laws, while many people don't."
State and federal laws tightly regulate casinos all over the
country. In Missouri, the Missouri Gaming Commission, which is
staffed by Missouri State Troopers, enforces the regulations.
"There are four typical forms of identification to enter the
casinos," said Lt. Steve Betts, of the Kansas City office of the
Missouri Gaming Commission. "A driver's license, state
identification, military identification, or passports. This is what
we see typically, but they aren't necessarily limited to that."
In addition to the above identification required for admittance
into the casinos, a federal law requires proof of a Social Security
number or proof of citizenship of another country to claim jackpots
over $1200 for Internal Revenue Service tax purposes.
"Jackpot winners are required to fill out a WG2 form with their
Social Security number on it," said Betts. "If they don't have their
Social Security card and their number isn't on their driver's
license or state ID, they can sign another form under the penalty of
perjury with their number on it. If they can't remember the number,
they are given a receipt so they can come back and claim their
winnings."
If, like Garcia, the winner isn't a U.S. citizen and is visiting
the area, they are required to show a passport. This is because the
United States has treaties with several countries excluding their
citizens from paying taxes in the U.S. Mexico is one of those
countries, but neither Garcia nor Bravo say they understood that
Garcia only needed a passport and not immigration papers.
"They were asking for a green card only," Bravo said. "They told
us, when we come back with a green card, we can have the money."
Bravo added that although signs are posted near the ticketing
booths about what kind of identification is needed to get in, there
are no signs telling customers that if they win a large jackpot,
they will need further identification.
"All of our employees are trained in state and federal
regulations," said Troy Stremming, vice president of legal and
government affairs for Ameristar Casinos.
"Not everyone has a social security number and if they are a
citizen of another country, we have to ask for identification to
show what country they are a citizen of."
Stremming said that he talked with all of the employees of
Ameristar involved in the Garcia case and they denied having asked
Bravo or Garcia for Gracia's green card. "Mr. Garcia did not present
a social security number and had no proof of citizenship of some
other country," Stremming said. "I understand their frustration, but
we are as sensitive to those matters as anyone and the cage managers
have a list of various types of cards acceptable to ask for, which
are passports and or other papers that prove citizenship of another
country."
Stremming added that Ameristar Casinos management would make sure
that their employees are asking for proper identification in the
future.
"We don't have signs posting what ID is required to claim a
jackpot over $1,200, but we will check into this to see exactly what
benefit our guests could get from it."
According to Stremming, the casino holds jackpots indefinitely
and the management doesn't feel that situations like Garcia's happen
that frequently. "We aren't holding a lot of money for people, but
if they won the money four years ago, it is still here," he said.
"We also have employees who speak 23 different languages to help out
and alleviate any confusion."
Jack Bonar, director of marketing for Argosy Casino, said that
they are only holding five jackpots that total less than $5,000.
"Some of them have been held as long as three years," said Bonar.
KCHN also attempted to reach Harrah's general manager for
comment, but was unsuccessful.
"I believe that the (Ameristar) casino followed the regulations
set for them," said Betts after an inquiry to the casino on Jan. 24.
"Casinos can only release jackpots to the actual winners and they
needed further proof of citizenship in this case — although I am a
little surprised a gaming commission officer wasn't called in at the
time, which usually happens if there is a question."
Betts added that Garcia just needed to return to the casino and
present his Mexican passport and the receipt he was issued on Jan.
14 in order to collect his money.
KCHN reporter Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell contacted Bravo and Garcia
and advised them that they could go to Ameristar and get their
jackpot.
Bravo accompanied Garcia to collect his money on Jan. 24.
Although he alleges that Ameristar representatives repeated their
request for Garcia's green card at that time, he added that they did
give Garcia his winnings.
"We are so happy to have gotten this money," said Bravo. "I just
didn't believe it was right what they were asking for a green card
from him."
