New Zealand’s online betting monopoly’s handling of a counterfeit money incident is undercutting its own argument that it’s the only safe option for local bettors.

On Monday, Kiwi media outlet Stuff reported on the difficulties a local racing bettor had in getting the New Zealand TAB to reimburse him for a couple hundred dollars the bookmaker paid out in counterfeit bank notes. The NZ$200 in funny money was issued by the TAB to Bruce Gasson as part of his NZ$680 winnings on January 3. 

Gasson said he contacted the TAB after getting a closer look at the two sketchy $100 bills when he got home, but the TAB told him there was “not really a whole lot they can do about it.” The TAB also said they would only consider reimbursing Gasson if it was ordered to do so by local police. 

But the police proved equally disinterested in Gasson’s bogus bills, at least, until Stuff contacted them and the TAB. The bookmaker then reached out to Gasson and assured him that he’d be made whole, while the police returned to collect the bills from Gasson for further investigation.