Crown denies scheme to lure gambler, by Kate Lahey - The Sydney Morning Herald - 20th May 2009

Crown Casino says it is not responsible for a man who gambled almost $1.5 billion over 15 months, despite giving him free accommodation and entertainment and flying him to Melbourne on a jet so he could bet at cards.

At times, property developer Harry Kakavas was betting $300,000 on each hand of baccarat, which can take just seconds to play, the Victorian Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Mr Kakavas had previously obtained a self-exclusion order from Crown because he could not control his gambling. When that was revoked at his request in 1998, Crown immediately banned him from the complex because of a dispute between Mr Kakavas and another Crown regular.

In January 2005 Crown allowed him back in under the alias Harry Kay, flying him back and forth between his home on the Gold Coast and Melbourne in the Crown jet. Crown argues Mr Kakavas insisted on the jet.

Mr Kakavas is suing Crown for the $20 million he lost between June 2005 and August 2006, and damages worth about $15 million.

Lawyers for Crown have told the court Mr Kakavas was an aggressive, intelligent and cunning patron who had threatened to sue the casino if it continued to ban him from playing there.

Mr Kakavas called a Crown officer in 2000, while he was banned, and threatened to "f--- Crown, Lloyd Williams and Kerry Packer", the court heard.

Mr Kakavas has argued Crown hatched a scheme to lure him back to the casino to exploit his addiction.

Neil Young, QC, for Crown, said that was untrue. "There was no effort in any sense of the word to lure Mr Kakavas back to Crown or to embark upon some scheme to achieve that objective," he said.

He said Crown organised flowers for the gambling pit for Mr Kakavas's return.

Mr Kakavas persistently asked to be let back in between 1998 and 2005 and threaten to sue Crown if he was not allowed entry, Mr Young said.

Mr Kakavas also told Crown officers he was worth a net $70 million, had bought a Maserati to go with his Ferrari, and was in control of his gambling.

Mr Young said in the 15 months in which Mr Kakavas turned over nearly $1.5 billion, winning $700 million before losing it again, he was in control, rarely chased his losses and often left with winnings in his pocket.

He said it was Crown's operations director, John Williams, who then urged Mr Kakavas to take a break from gambling.

Mr Kakavas told the court yesterday he began betting in 1993 while working as a real estate agent for Colliers Jardine. To fuel his gambling addiction he had his parents mortgage a property and borrowed constantly from friends. In 1998 he served four months in jail for a $286,000 fraud.

The case continues. (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

Media Man Australia Profiles

Crown Casino

Casino News

Australian Casino News