Currently, Australia has tough regulations when it comes to gambling advertising and incentives. The country has already banned incentives such as gambling credit, free alcohol or other prizes that may encourage gamblers to spend more. Yet, gambling is widely spread across the country and billions are lost to the activity annually.
One recent case undoubtedly raised eyebrows after a guest of a cruise ship who accumulated a significant gambling debt has taken his own life. The case raises concerns about the effectiveness of gambling regulations in the context of different jurisdictions, considering that the ship was British, but it offered its services outside of Australian land or the particular instance, more than 12 nautical miles from the countryβs coast.
The tragic incident involved a 50-year-old man identified with the initials S.D., who reportedly took his own life after falling from the P&O cruise ship Pacific Adventure, as reported by the Daily Mail. The man was on vacation with his mother. The two enjoyed the cruise that featured a distinct Elvis theme, and it was all going well before the 50-year-old man visited the shipβs casino.
Personal Issues and Piling Gambling Debt Result in Suicide
According to the recent report, gambling at the cruise ship casinoβs table games, the 50-year-old man raked up AU$5,000 ($3,300) in losses. While his mother helped him cover those expenses, regretfully, the man continued to gamble and accumulated AU$4,000 ($2,700) in gambling debt.
Before the vacation, the man was dealing with personal issues, including the death of one of his brothers, his father and a recent divorce. Putting further fuel to the fire, the 50-year-old experienced financial difficulties.
It is likely that the accumulated gambling debt, along with the number of personal issues impacted the manβs judgment. Sadly, the man decided to take his own life by jumping into the cold waters on the early morning of May 6 at a time when the cruise ship was sailing toward Sydney Harbor.
βIt is just beyond belief that there is not an expectation that when a cruise ship leaves a dock that the rules of that jurisdiction apply.β
Carol Bennett CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform
Carol Bennett, the Alliance for Gambling Reformβs CEO, claimed that the operator breached its duty of care by allowing the gambler to accumulate significant losses. βItβs really concerning that when a ship sails 12 nautical miles off the coast it can then allow anything and everything to happen,β she explained.
According to Bennett, although the ship was in international waters, this doesnβt mean that the casino doesnβt have any duty of care toward its players. She added that it is expected for casino operators to still combat harmful gambling even if they are not subjected to the laws enforced in Australia.
