Phil Ivey has finally received some good news in relation to his ongoing court case against Crockfords Casino in Mayfair, London. The UK Supreme Court has decided to grant the popular poker pro permission to appeal a Court of Appeal ruling from late last year, according to which his actions while playing baccarat at the gambling venue several years ago “amounted to cheating.”
Ivey is suing the casino after being refused the amount of £7.8 million he won back in 2012 for playing punto banco there. The player and his companion at the baccarat table – Cheng Yin Sun – used edge sorting to improve their edge against the house. It was exactly the controversial technique that turned into the bone of contention between the two players and the casino.
Being denied winnings he considered he had won by deploying skill, Ivey brought the matter to court. The case has been running for years now and developments were not particularly in the player’s favor. However, the Supreme Court has now given him the chance to overturn the decision made last November and eventually receive his winnings.
The November ruling came as an affirmation to a High Court one from 2014. According to said decision, Ivey and Sun violated the UK Gambling Act 2005 by deploying the controversial technique and their actions at the baccarat table equalled cheating. On the other hand, appeal judges did not define the two players’ actions as dishonest.
Ivey and his legal team revealed that they would appeal the court decision they considered very confusing immediately after it was made back in November.
Following the announcement that they will be given the chance to proceed with their appeal, the player said in a Tuesday statement that he was pleased to be allowed to fight for “what [he] genuinely believes is the right thing to do.”
Ivey’s legal team added that the November ruling presented an unclear interpretation of the Gambling Act’s provisions and that the granted permission for appeal indicates that the Supreme Court has sided with the claimant.
The popular poker pro has also been locked in a legal battle with Atlantic City’s Borgata casino. However, he is a defendant in that other case. Yet again, the player’s legal problems stem from the use of the edge sorting technique. The gambling venue is suing Ivey in an attempt to collect back the amount of $9.6 million he won in 2012 for playing baccarat with Sun. A judge ruled against him last October, but the player and his legal team are have been doing their best ever since to be granted permission for appeal.
