A casino refused to pay $11 million about 1.7 billion naira in winnings to a top poker player, according to reports.
American poker player Phil Ivey, who won $11.7 million at a London casino, has been referred to the British Gambling Commission, a source familiar with the casino confirmed Monday after media reports surfaced that the payment was being withheld.
Ivey hit a lucky run of over two nights playing punto banco at Crockfords, at the oldest private gambling club in Britain, according to a local newspaper. The source, who requested anonymity because he was not appointed by Crockfords to talk about the case, confirmed the accuracy of the report in the local newspaper.
The source did not give details of why the winnings was referred to the committee, which regulates commercial gambling, and said the casino has had no contact with legal representatives of Ivey.
Both the game commission and Crockfords declined to comment on the ongoing case.
Punto Banco is a form of baccarat card game favored among the high rollers. Ivey, 35, has won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and more than $6.2 million during his career. With his sixth place in the ranking of the WSOP and his penchant for high-stakes game, the organization calls him “possibly the best poker player in the world.”