An international poker player has been awarded $340,000 to be paid by four of his former friends over defamatory comments they made following a night out in Las Vegas.

Nicholas Polias successfully won the landmark case after comments labelling him a thief were published on Facebook after a misunderstanding about the location of $2000 cash.

Mr Polias took Tobin Ryall, Andy Hun Wei Lee, Sandy Jan and Rhys Gould to court for defamation, and has warned others to 'be very careful about what you write on social media.'

Nicholas Polias successfully won the landmark case after comments labelling him a thief were published on Facebook after a misunderstanding about the location of $2000 cash

In 2012 Mr Polias travelled to the poker hotspot with friends to participate in a tournament, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

The misunderstanding occurred in the room Mr Polias was sharing with one of the defendants, Tobin 'Toby' Ryall, where the sum was misplaced, and later found to be hidden inside a soft toy in the room.

Later at The Star casino in Sydney, Mr Polias was involved in a high-stakes game in which he mistakenly short-changed the winner, before immediately rectifying the error.

Mr Polias became concerned that his name was being slandered when Mr Ryall published a post implying Mr Polias was a thief.

Mr Lee republished Mr Ryall's defamatory Facebook statement, and both refused to take down the posts despite Mr Polias addressing both misunderstandings in the moment.

Mr Polias took Tobin Ryall, Andy Hun Wei Lee, Sandy Jan and Rhys Gould to court for defamation, and has warned others to 'be very careful about what you write on social media.'

Mr Polias was involved in a high-stakes game in which he mistakenly short-changed the winner, before immediately rectifying the error.

On Friday morning Justice Stephen Rotham awarded Mr Polias damages, instructing Mr Ryall to pay $125,000 and Mr Lee to pay $130,000, for what Justice Rotham called 'vicious and malicious' conduct.

Justice Rotham said that the charge of aggravated damages fit the conduct of those accused as all four had failed to apologise or remove the post from social media.

Mr Polias said 'I'm just elated that my reputation has been restored; it's never really been about the money; it's just been about clearing my reputation,' reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

'People should be very careful about what they write on social media because it spreads like wildfire and it can be really damaging to someone because it stays on Facebook for a long time,' he said.

Mr Polias described his ordeal as 'a battle I will never forget', in a post on his Facebook.

'I would not wish what I have been through on my worst enemy. The judgement was true vindication and I was awarded $340,000 plus interest,' Mr Polias wrote.

'I hope this sets a precedent to those wishing to harm an individual's reputation through the tool of social media. Bullies should mind their words and be very careful who they pick to bully. In this case they surely picked the wrong person.'

Justice Rotham said that the charge of aggravated damages fit the conduct of those accused as all four had failed to apologise or remove the post from social media

Mr Lee republished Mr Ryall's defamatory Facebook statement, and both refused to take down the posts despite Mr Polias addressing both misunderstandings in the moment

Two of Mr Polias' other former friends, Ms Jan and Mr Gould, were ordered to pay $50,000 and $35,000 respectively, for spreading the 'malicious' accusations around the tight-knit poker community.

Justice Stephen Rothman said although the post reached only a small number of readers, its significance was great.

'In some respects, the confined nature of the readership made the hurt and distress (and the need for vindication) even greater than would be case if it were a publication at large and not to persons who knew and dealt with (Mr Polias) on a regular basis,' Justice Rothman said.

'I am satisfied that the plaintiff suffered significant damage to his reputation and felt significantly distressed.'