Published on: October 7, 2025, 07:17h.

Updated on: October 7, 2025, 07:18h.

Joel Vargas-Guitierrez, a resident of Las Vegas, has filed a lawsuit against the Bellagio, claiming negligence and insufficient security after being attacked by three individuals who attempted to seize his slot machine winnings.

The lawsuit, filed on October 3 in Clark County District Court and initially reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, also targets the three alleged attackers (two men and one woman) for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Vargas-Gutierrez is seeking damages that exceed $15,000, along with attorney fees, court costs, interest, punitive damages, and any additional relief the court finds appropriate.

Incident Overview

As stated in the complaint, on December 12, 2024, Vargas-Gutierrez, a frequent visitor to the Bellagio, hit a $2,600 jackpot on a “Mummy”-themed slot machine. Due to the considerable payout, he was required to wait for an attendant to verify his winnings according to casino protocol.

While waiting, Vargas-Gutierrez decided to play on a different machine. During this time, three individuals approached the original slot machine, saw the jackpot win, and loudly claimed they were entitled to the money.

As Vargas-Gutierrez tried to mediate the situation, the complaint alleges one of the men came toward him in a menacing manner. Feeling outnumbered, he struck out in self-defense, igniting a physical altercation that a bystander attempted to separate.

The filing notes that no security personnel were present during this incident.

The woman in the group then slapped Vargas-Gutierrez, leading to another confrontation where she was aided by her two male accomplices, who tackled him to the ground, according to the complaint.

Reports claim security personnel arrived only after the situation had significantly deteriorated.

“As a direct result of this incident, Mr. Vargas-Gutierrez has experienced physical injuries, along with mental and emotional distress requiring medical treatment, which he continues to cope with to this day,” the lawsuit articulates.