A gambler is set to take court action after operators of a hi-tech gambling machine refused to pay out a whopping jackpot.

It is believed that the case will be the first time a dispute over a payout from gambling machines has gone to legal action.

And yesterday one of the group of friends who hit the Sonesta Beach Hotel for more than $14,800 called for tough regulations to be introduced to govern the use of the video card games.

The cards row broke out after the group won the massive payout -- but Sonesta bosses refused to pay up.

Painter Mannie Ible, of Pembroke, admitted the machine's posted jackpot was $4,000 and that the video card game had obviously malfunctioned when he and his friends played it around two weeks ago.

But he added: "What I was taught is that when the dealer messes up the house pays out.'' The group took the receipt authorising the $14,860 payout to Sonesta management, but Mr. Ible said they hit a stone wall.

He added: "We just didn't like the guy's attitude and he didn't want to pay anything at first -- then he said he would pay $500.'' And he pointed out: "There's probably been something wrong with the machine for a while -- it's been up there collecting money and he wasn't complaining while he was collecting it.

"And Sonesta probably make $14,000 a week out of the machines they have up there.

"The guy who was actually playing the machine at the time is going to court with it -- he's going to try and get something out of them.'' Mr. Ible added: "In Vegas or anywhere else, when the dealer gets it wrong, the house pays. It should be the same here.'' The news came less than a week after the House of Assembly struck a compromise deal to ban the importation of new machines and spare parts, although existing machines will be allowed to be used in the meantime -- perhaps until they become obsolete and break down completely.

But some MPs pointed out that allowing the machines to be used without regulations to govern their use was leaving the public open to being hostages to fortune.

And the United Bermuda Party's Patricia Gordon Pamplin said unscrupulous operators could tamper with the machines to lengthen the odds against innocent gamblers.

In the UK, local authority trading standards officers regularly check machines on a random basis -- and without warning.

And they have the option to prosecute if they find the machines have been rigged.

Mr. Ibel said: "There ought to be rules governing the use of these machines.

"There should be strict regulation to control these things if they're going to be here -- but there's nothing.'' And he added: "They could be here for some time now -- this could be years down the road and the older these machines get the more problems there will be.'' A spokesman for Sonesta Beach Hotel said the hotel itself had no machines -- but that the staff club, run by a committee, might have.

And he added: "I cannot comment -- at this stage I'm not aware of this and I'm not aware of any legal action.'' COURTS CTS