Ok, first of all, who can live on 12,000 a year, and if she's so tight up for money, what the hell is she doing gambling in a casino?
Personally, I feel that the casino should make good and give her the top prize, at least... how do they know any other winners didn't get phoney read outs because of a malfunction, but since they might have been less than the top prize they wouldn't have known?
I DO feel that fighting to get the full amount is greedy... especially since it clearly says that software malfunction voids prizes. Errors happen. No different than going to the gas station and the price advertized on the sign doesn't reflect the price on the pump, they're not going to change the price for you because you throw a fit. The law says that the price at the pump goes, so suck it up.
It kind of sucks, but the casinos have the law on their side, so hiring a lawyer is just going to cost more money she doesn't seem be able to afford.