A woman is suing Crown Resorts and poker machine-maker Aristocrat on the basis of providing ‘deceptively designed’ machines, Australian media outlets reported yesterday.
The plaintiff, Shonica Guy, is arguing in federal court that a type of machine manufactured by Aristocrat, Dolphin Treasure, is “addictive” and “designed” to get people “on the hook,” the New Daily quoted the plaintiff as saying.
Guy, who claims to have been addicted for the last 14 years, further argues that the reels, symbols, and other design elements featuring in the machine misrepresent the true chances of winning, ABC News reported.
Aristocrat and Crown have denied the allegations, the broadcaster notes.
Crown currently operates 38 Dolphin Treasure machines.
According to Guy’s attorney, the Melbourne casino operates some 1,000 Aristocrat poker machines out of the 2,600 available on the casino floor.
Another barrister told the Justice in charge of the case that both Crown and Aristocrat had contravened laws preventing misleading and deceptive conduct.
The CEO of the country’s Gaming Technologies Association, Ross Ferrar, was quoted outside court as saying that the industry stood by the “integrity of its products,” the media reported.
The head of social justice accompanying the case said Guy was not seeking damages from the industry, but rather wanted to shine a light on the industry’s practices, according to New Daily.
The trial is set to take place in three weeks.
Aristocrat’s head office in Asia Pacific is located in Macau.
The provider of gaming solutions is licensed in 240 gaming jurisdictions and operates in 90 countries around the world, according to the company.
Crown Resorts, controlled at majority stake by James Packer – a former partner of Lawrence Ho Yau Lung at Melco Crown (now Melco Resorts & Entertainment) – is one of Australia’s largest entertainment groups operating in the integrated resort segment.
