The New South Wales’ Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) has ordered a gambling club to pay AU$200,000 in fines after its conduct was ruled to have contributed to the May 2018 suicide of a “diamond” member.
Gary van Duinen, who sometimes played for 12 hours at a sitting, wagered in excess of $3.7 million and lost $230,000 before taking his life. He was offered no intervention and continued to receive special, preferred-customer perks, according to iGamingBusiness.com.
ILGA Chairman Philip Crawford said the club failed to act despite “readily available information” pointing to a gambling problem, as well as concerns expressed by Van Duinen’s wife.
“Mr. Van Duinen died in tragic circumstances. His heavy gambling occurred at a club that was giving him special treatment while failing to recognize his problem, despite having extensive data to do so,” Crawford said.
“It was the club’s selection of Mr. Van Duinen as a ‘Top 100’ gaming machine player, targeted exclusively to receive special ‘high roller’ benefits like harbor cruises and race day events, that was found likely to encourage the misuse and abuse of gambling,” Crawford added. “This contravened both gaming machines and registered clubs’ legislation.”
The fine set a new record for the state regulator, which has imposed “extraordinary special conditions” on the Dee Why RSL’s license.
The club must now employ a 24/7 responsible gambling monitor and establish a third-party exclusion scheme along with the existing self-exclusion program. It will allow friends or family members of a problem gambler to apply to have that individual banned from gaming venues.
