Becky Paszkiewicz visited the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee last month, expecting that she would play some slots, have some drinks, and enjoy a fun evening. Instead, she was asked to leave the premises due to a dress code violation.
According to LegalUSPokerSites, Paszkiewicz’s denim shorts did not pass the casino’s “fingertip rule,” which stipulates that shorts or skirts need to reach the point where one’s fingertips fall when their hands are at their sides.
Paszkiewicz was wearing a tank top, a black hooded sweatshirt, and Converse shoes along with the denim shorts. She said that she was just minding her own business when casino security approached her — about 20 minutes into her visit — and removed her from the building.
“That sucked,” Becky said. “That sucked a lot.”
A photo of Becky’s attire has since gone viral, because many people were outraged over the seemingly appropriate outfit causing so many problems.
“They suggested we buy leggings from the gift shop,” said Becky, “and then at one point [the security officer] suggested I take off my hoodie and wrap it around my waist. I told him then I’d be in a tank top, wearing less clothing than I am now.”
Becky had been a regular gambler at the Potawatomi Casino, but after this incident she doesn’t plan on ever returning.
“Everyone is looking at you like, ‘What did they do? What’s going on here?” she said. “It was embarrassing to be treated like I did something wrong.”
Yahoo reports that after the outrage on social media, the Potawatomi Casino was forced to issue an official statement:
Potawatomi Hotel and Casino enforces a dress code as part of its security protocol. Unfortunately, what happened in this particular instance did not fall within the spirit of that dress code. We apologize for any embarrassment that this guest experienced as part of the incident. We will review the policy and take measures to make sure it is being appropriately enforced in the future.”
Appearance plays a major role in the workplace — as 75% of people believe having an unattractive smile could hard their career success — and dress codes are often enacted in schools, but it’s not often you hear about an outfit that’s too skimpy for the casino.