Aristocrat takes the stand

Leading gaming machine-manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure Limited began its ‘opening submission’ on a civil case brought against the company and Crown Resorts by a former client on Tuesday in Australia, according to information provided by the company to Business Daily.
The plaintiff, Shonica Guy, is moving an action in federal court against both companies on the basis that the design of a poker machine – Dolphin Treasure – manufactured and provided by Aristocrat to the Melbourne-based casino is ‘misleading’ and ‘deceptive’ to players, according to Australian media reports.
Crown’s casino under trial currently operates 38 Dolphin Treasure machines.
In its written response to Business Daily, Aristocrat said it ‘is defending the action vigorously.’
‘Aristocrat 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,’ the company told us.
The machine maker – of which head office for Asia Pacific is located in Macau – added that it would not provide any further comment while the case was being heard in court.
Crown Resorts was also said to have argued in its defense yesterday that the poker machines it operates on the floor of its casino were all tested and approved by state regulators, according to ABC News.
Accordingly, the casino’s lawyers have rejected the plaintiff’s claim that the company has engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct through the use of “rigged” poker machines, with one of Crown’s legal advisors claiming further that the company is “doing nothing other than making authorized machines available.”
Guy claims she started gambling when she was 17 years old and spent 14 years struggling with addiction.
The trial is set down for three weeks.