Problem Gambler Sues Casino for the 30 Million Loss
25th September, 2007
The Tuesday court case investigated the allegations against Sydney – Melbourne’s Crown Casino, that has allegedly made Harry Kakavas lose the enormous sum of 30 million Australian dollars ($25 million) by giving him free flights in a private jet, wads of notes to get him started and even a 20% rebate on whatever he losses. In court it turned out that there were 30 free flights just when Harry was given 50,000 Australian dollars in a free starting-stake by the captain of the private jet himself.
Harry Kakavas, property developer decided to sue the casino for letting him enter the premises in the first place, when he banned himself from being there on a volunteer basis. This is exactly what the player has to do to later be able to accuse casino of unethical and even illegal activity, as once the player voluntarily banns himself from the premises, the casino is no longer permitted to let him in.
Kavakas’s lawyer explains: “'They deliberately set out to identify a punter they knew they could win large sums of money from, During the time he lost all this money in the casino he had no lawful right to be there, because he was known to be subject to an interstate exclusion order.'
The fact is, when a problem gambler banns himself from any one Australian casino, he automatically becomes banned from every single one of them.
The defence did not seem to have a very strong case, as their arguments were very general and did not consider the particular problem gambler situation.
Crown Casino lawyer tried to explain it by the fact the free choice factor: 'He didn't have to go to the Crown Casino. No one told him he had to bet 300,000 dollars on every hand. He could not have bet at all.”
Well, alcoholics could have not drunk at all and drug addicts could have not injected themselves either. There is still social responsibility issue, especially when the specific option was designed for problem gamblers that would allow them to ban themselves.
