A California man who lost $500,000 in 17 hours gambling at a Las Vegas casino was so drunk he could not remember the episode, said a lawsuit that seeks to erase the debt.

Mark Johnston, 52, arrived drunk at the Downtown Grand casino and was plied with free alcoholic drinks while he gambled, according to the suit filed February 18 in Nevada state court for Clark County.

After leaving the gaming tables, Johnston went to his hotel room and woke up the next day with no memory of what happened, stated the lawsuit.

Johnston's attorney described him as a self-made millionaire who previously owned a number of car dealerships.

Johnston played pai gow and blackjack for 17 hours and was served about 20 drinks, according to the lawsuit.

Nevada state gaming regulations prohibit casinos to allow visibly drunk guests to continue to gamble.

Reuters