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Harry Kakavas: Modern day’s biggest gambling loser and his fight against a casino

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Often gambling researchers are interested on knowing on biggest wealth losers in gambling. While mythologies, historical scripts provide some insights into gambling losers in the history, it is difficult to determine who has lost the most in gambling in the modern day as gambling losses are often kept private and not publicly disclosed or documented. Additionally, the amount of money lost in gambling can vary greatly depending on the individual’s financial situation and the type of gambling they engage in the modern day.

However, there have been some notable cases of individuals who have lost significant amounts of money through gambling. One famous example is Harry Kakavas, an Australian real estate tycoon who lost over $1.5 billion in high-stakes gambling at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. Another example is Terrance Watanabe, a businessman who lost over $200 million in Las Vegas casinos over the course of a year.

Kakavas later sued the Crown Casino in a famous Australian legal case [Kakavas v Crown Melbourne Ltd] for gambling loses at the Crown Casino in Melbourne between 2005 and 2006. Kakavas claimed that the casino had taken advantage of his gambling addiction and lured him into losing such a significant amount of money.

Kakavas sued Crown Melbourne Ltd, the owner and operator of the casino, for unconscionable conduct and sought to recover his losses. The case went to trial, and the court ultimately ruled in favor of Crown Melbourne Ltd, finding that the casino did not engage in unconscionable conduct or take advantage of Kakavas’ gambling addiction.

The court found that Kakavas was a seasoned and experienced gambler who understood the risks involved and voluntarily participated in the high-stakes gambling at the casino. The court also noted that Crown Melbourne Ltd had implemented measures to assist problem gamblers, such as self-exclusion programs and responsible gambling messaging.

The case is significant because it established that Australian casinos have a duty of care to their patrons, but that this duty does not extend to preventing patrons from gambling or protecting them from the risks of gambling. It also highlights the importance of responsible gambling measures and the need for individuals to take responsibility for their own gambling behavior.

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