Longtime gambler wants losses from casino

DETROIT, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- A 61-year-old man says he wants a Detroit casino to return the $673,854 he lost at the site during a decade of regular gambling.

The Detroit News said Sunday that professional engineer Italo Mario Parise is suing the MotorCity Casino for allegedly failing to stop him from gambling once he endured significant losses.

Parise alleges in his Wayne County Circuit Court lawsuit, which is based around an obscure state statute called "gaming: action by loser," that casino officials did nothing to stop him from gambling despite his 1996 filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Parise alleges casino official knew or should have known about his financial struggles during his 10-year gambling spree.

Attorney Deborah Brouwer, one of the lawyers representing MotorCity, said in a court filing a state provision allowing gamblers to recover losses "would be the death knell for the Detroit casinos, none of which would be able to remain in business if forced to return gambling losses to disgruntled gamblers."