Online casino bosses are counting the cost after an American punter yesterday SCOOPED its £7,500 jackpot prize without spending a penny AND left themselves in the firing line of US government enforcers!

The lucky player known only as “Kerri T” was trying out Caribbean Stud Poker for the first time after taking advantage of the Cyprus-based site’s new player bonus.

‘Beginner’s Luck’

“Most online casinos require you to wager many times the amount of your progressive jackpot winnings before you can withdraw them, but we don’t,” said JackpotCapital.com boss Oliver Smith.

“I guess you’d have to call it beginner’s luck,” said the lucky player. “I hadn’t even made a deposit to my account, all it had in it was the free $25 ($13)  they’d given me to get started. “Next thing I knew I was withdrawing nearly $15,000 (£7,500).”

But Kerri T’s lucky day may prove to be Black Monday for the casino.

Legal Challenge

Strict U.S. laws on online gambling mean any company that takes bets from American punters is open to prosecution in court, extradition proceedings against company executives and even seizure of assets.

The U.S. laws are currently being challenged in the World Trade Organsisation by European trade chiefs, with a top level delegation headed by Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson due in Washington next month.