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Ben Affleck denies '$400,000 gambling debt' claim

Published Thursday, Jul 7 2011, 16:04 BST | By Justin Harp | Add comment

Ben Affleck has officially denied that he lost thousands of dollars by taking part in a high-stakes poker game.

Star magazine published a report this week alleging that Affleck became involved in a secret gambling session for Hollywood insiders, but lost more than $400,000 (£328,740) in one game to Universal Pictures head Ronald Meyer.

A source told the publication that the Town director spent "months" trying to avoid paying off his apparent debt.

The insider claimed: "He drummed up a giant tab, and then all of a sudden he disappeared from the game. He wasn't seen for months."

Affleck's rep responded to the item in a statement to AM New York by saying: "Complete garbage. Made up and lacking any real sources."

The star's fourth directorial effort Argo, a film about the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, is expected to be released in US cinemas in 2013.

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Watch a trailer for The Town below: