Canadian court rules on ex-couple's JackpotCity winnings dispute

A court in Canada's British Columbia has ruled that a six-figure online casino jackpot belongs to the owner of the gaming account, rejecting a former partner's claim that he deserved most of the prize because he was the one playing when the win occurred.

The dispute centred on a C$120,000 (around US$85,000) slot jackpot won in April 2022 through a JackpotCity account registered to the man's former girlfriend. The decision was issued by the Supreme Court of British Columbia on July 8.

Court finds player had no permission to use the account

Timothy Jones argued that he should receive nearly all of the remaining winnings after the couple separated. According to his claim, he funded the session with an C$80 deposit and personally triggered the jackpot while playing.

However, Cheryl Johnson told the court that the account belonged to her, she had made the deposit herself, and Jones had been told not to use it. After reviewing witness testimony and financial records, Justice Ronald Tindale concluded that Johnson's version of events was supported by the evidence.

The judge determined that although Jones had transferred money to Johnson earlier that day, she later used her own funds to deposit C$80 into the casino account. The court also noted that Jones still owed Johnson money at the time of the incident.

Slot machines leave no room for strategy

Jones also maintained that his approach to the game had helped activate the winning bonus feature. The court dismissed that argument, stating that a slot machine is a game of chance and that no playing method can influence the outcome.

Another issue involved Johnson's 16-year-old son, who testified that he had been sitting at the computer during the bonus round. The judge found that the teenager was present but was not the person actually playing when the jackpot landed.

Small payment did not change ownership of the jackpot

Following the win, Johnson transferred a small portion of the prize to Jones and also gave a modest amount to her son. She later explained that the payment was made simply to end the conflict after the relationship had broken down.

The court agreed that these transfers did not affect legal ownership of the remaining jackpot. Since Jones had used Johnson's account, laptop and deposited funds without her permission, the judge ruled that he had no right to claim the balance of the casino winnings.

The case also comes as Canada continues to tighten oversight of the online casino sector. While provinces such as Ontario already operate regulated markets and Alberta is launching its own licensed framework, British Columbia still limits legal online gambling to its provincial operator. In this case, the court made clear that JackpotCity's regulatory status was irrelevant because the dispute concerned ownership of the account and the funds used to play. However, as more provinces introduce regulated markets, similar disputes could involve additional questions around operator compliance, player verification and account security.