Victoria Commission Fines Crown Casino $15,000 for Harry Kakavas Incident

On March 12th, 2009, Crown casino was fined $15,000 after giving a chronic gambling addict $500,000 in chips he had not paid during a gaming binge at Crown Casino's baccarat tables. Gaming addict Harry Kakavas, who is suing Crown casino officials for more than $50 million , was playing baccarat in a private salon in the Crystal Club on the 29th floor of the facility when his luck and cash ran out. In a violation of gaming regulations that prohibit issuing gambling chips unless payment is given.

Crown casino officials handed baccarat chips to Harry Kakavas three times without any payment being made. A senior Crown employee who was overseeing the gaming operation, told the croupier to give Mr. Kakavas more gaming chips immediately. Harry Kakavas is believed to be a regular player in the Crystal Club. Sources said that the money was given to maintain momentum and not to provide Kakavas a time to regroup. The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation records the incident on its online site without naming Harry Kakavas or the total amount.

The commission notes that it imposed a fine of $15,000 on Crown Casino in relation to an incident that happened on March 18, 2006, when a customer was given gaming chips without any payment being given. The Victorian Commission's report stated that the player utilized these baccarat chips to continue to play and repaid the amounts advanced out of game winnings. When asked if the players was Harry Kakavas and if he had been given $500,000 in baccarat without any payments, Crown casino officials had no comment.

A Gold Coast property developer, Harry Kakavas lost $30 million on Crown casino's baccarat tables in a 14 month gaming spree that started in June 2005. Kakavas alleges that Crown casino officials repeatedly tried to lure him back to the casino facility despite banning himself from the Crown Casino in 1995.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation's commissioner, Mr. Peter Cohen, said that he could not divule how much was given by Crown casino or the name of the player in the free-chip issue. He added that Crown casino had informed the Victorian Commission of the violation of regulations-but could not state how long after the incident the notification happened.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Danny McCain