A former australian gambling addict has launched landmark federal lawsuits against a major casino operator and the manufacturer of a popular slot machine {.bbc.com}, claiming she was misled about her chances of winning.
- Shonica guy claims that due of the design of the dolphin treasure poker machine, players have unreasonable expectations.
- She contends that these devices, known as “Pokies” in australia, are illegal for consumers.
- Both the casino network and the manufacturer have strongly denied her assertions.
- The complaint was filed in melbourne on tuesday.
Slot machine {.bbc.com} maker aristocrat has declared that it “Vigorously defending the claim,” while casino juggernaut crown has declared that it “Emphatically rejects any suggestion that its games are designed to encourage problem gambling, or in any way fail to comply with all relevant regulations and laws.”
Australians have a national obsession with betting and have the highest gambling loss per head in the world, {.bbc.com} with an average loss of us$1,130 (£850) a year, according to new statistics from uk consultancy h2 gambling capital.
Designed to Enthral US
According to ms. Guy, playing “Pokies” cost her fourteen years of life. She said that she wanted to prevent other “Problem-gamblers” {bbc.com} from falling into the same trap that she had, even if she did not want any financial recompense from the court.
- “We have been told we are the only ones to blame for pokies addiction for far too long,” she said to reporters on tuesday.
- “I want this case to show the machines are misleading… And designed to get us hooked.” {bbc.com}
- Her case is over the design of the dolphin treasure machines at crown’s main casino in melbourne.
- An a$11.3 billion gambling merger in australia was authorised.
- Australia’s ‘pokies’ addiction comes at a high cost
- The machines provide players with cash prizes when they align consecutive symbols across a row of spinning reels.
- Ms. Guy and her lawyers contend that the odds are inflated because, {.bbc.com} although the fifth reel has 44 symbols, making it more harder for a player to win, the other four reels have about the same number of symbols—around 30 on each.
- She also argues that it is deceptive for the robots to claim to be giving people 87% of their revenues.
- Spokesman for the alliance for gambling reform tim costello told the sydney morning herald that ms. Guy was fighting a goliath against the “Pokie” industry, which is as powerful in the country as the national rifle association is in the us. {bbc.com}
- But according to gaming technologies association head ross ferrar, the industry is certain that its products are authentic. {bbc.com}
- “They’re heavily legislated and regulated, and they comply with national standards,” he said.