A court has ruled casino bosses can be quizzed over whether they knew a multi-million pound gambler was banned when they allegedly LURED him to their tables.

Former property developer Harry Kakavas turned over more than £600 million during a 14-month gambling binge across Australia from June 2005, the Victorian Supreme Court heard.

As reported earlier by Casino Update, Kakavas is suing Melbourne’s Crown Casino and its chief operating officer John Williams for £13 million worth of losses, alleging negligence, unconscionable conduct and breaches of the Casino Control Act.

Concerns

His lawyer, Les Glick SC, said Crown’s chief executive Rowen Craigie was sent an email in 2000 WARNING Kakavas was banned from Sydney’s Star City casino over concerns about the extravagance of his gambling.

Winnings of gamblers who have been banned from a casino must be forfeited to the state under the Casino Control Act 1991.

But Glick argued that if Crown had paid over Kakavas’ winnings to the government, he would not have continued to gamble. Crown bosses have already DENIED knowing Kakavas was banned.

High Roller

Now Justice David Harper says Kakavas’ legal team can question Crown bosses under oath about exactly what they did know about his circumstances ahead of a full court case next year.

Kakavas claims the casino preyed on him and singled him out for special treatment because he was a high roller.

He has already told the court he was flown about 30 times on Crown’s VIP jet, regularly handed bags and boxes of cash, and given a promise of a 20 per cent rebate on all losses.