I have been reading about this casino scam on the internet for about 3 months prior to my vacation. They lure you in through a casino 'promotion' with $20 in free play. Once you get suckered in, you find yourself throwing 8 balls into a roulette and the dealer acts so surprised and tells you that you are so close to the jackpot. They then ask for a credit card so you can continue rolling but your bets keep doubling. The game is nearly impossible to win, and there are stories of people losing up to $40,000! The casino claims that they aren’t involved with the game and that it is a private table that rents out space. This is a true scam by real con artists—be cautious and aware! I've shared a picture of the game for reference; read the rules carefully. The game entices players, but it is a well-orchestrated scheme to rob you blind. If you try to watch players play in the casino, security will approach you and say this is a private table, so you can't see the people losing their life savings. Don’t be the next victim!

Écrit le 31 juillet 2015

Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.

The casinos in Punta Cana all run a rigged game called Jackpot 8-ball, using 8 little red balls. The flim-flam man is an American who is somewhat of a bright spot in a small casino full of smirks and deadpan looks, and that's where the scam starts. I’ve been in casinos across Europe, Panama, and all over the U.S., and I know that the odds are always against you, but the games here are clearly rigged. They use an orchestrated, rehearsed (by having done it so many times), and choreographed method to milk unassuming tourists of their money. The jackpot keeps doubling, and the bets do too. They are nice enough to run a tab for you that you can simply deduct from your winnings, but you CANNOT WIN. They are in complete control of the game, and these people should be in jail for defrauding tourists. Casino management will reply to this review claiming there must be some misunderstanding and that they are regulated, but that's all bullcrap. They’re nothing more than cons and criminals preying on unsuspecting visitors.

Écrit le 18 mai 2014

Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.

We went there a couple of nights although we were staying at another resort. We found that on three occasions, the slot machines do not pay what it was supposed to when you win. For instance, what was supposed to pay $25 for three sevens in a row only paid one coin. We brought this to the attention of the manager who had no choice but to pay us. However, we then told him to not allow anyone else to play the machine until it was fixed; he agreed but never put an out-of-order sign on it.

Be cautious, as there are no rules or regulations on gambling in the Dominican Republic. There is another game to be wary of. When you arrive at the casino, they will give you four chips and direct you where to play. There is a game we’ve never seen before where you get 8 balls in a cup and have to throw them into a bin with numbers. The counter moves very quickly, so try to have someone else count along to ensure you get the right numbers.

There are three spaces on the board where your bet will then double, as well as the pot. Of course, these numbers are the most common, so expect your bets to double frequently. You cannot lower your bet either, which is how they make their money on the game. There are several ways to win, but to hit the jackpot, you must accumulate 50 total points on the board. But be warned, this is a hard total to reach unless you are willing to spend significant money to keep the game going.

It all starts innocently with a $10 bet, with a pot possibly at $1,000. Yet, when you hit double, your bet becomes $20 per roll, and it continues to rise. We witnessed people ending up with bets as high as $1250 per roll with the jackpot at $50,000. Most individuals do not have that kind of cash to win this game despite the fact that winning eventually seems certain. However, expect to pony up $10,000 to $20,000 or more to reach that elusive jackpot.

Unless you plan to stay in the game for the long haul, it's best to avoid it altogether. They will accept all forms of payment, including Visa and MasterCard, and will do everything they can to keep you playing. Trust me, they know you will likely quit before you snag the jackpot.

Écrit le 18 janvier 2013

Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.

Thank you for taking the time to write a review. The experiences that you have shared are not characteristic of the service that we strive to offer our customers. We are pleased to know that when you pointed out the problem with one of our slot machines, the manager took immediate action in paying you the correct amount, as that is the level of service we expect from all of our staff. We would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that gambling in the Dominican Republic is in fact regulated by Law 351, modified by Law 24-98, which must be upheld by all gambling establishments wishing to retain their permits. We regret that you've had this unsatisfactory experience and apologize for the inconveniences, we will share this review with our staff and take all appropriate measures so that this does not happen again.