Singapore Court Rules Against Australian Casino

Tia Winter | 31 October 2019

Of all of the issues typically frowned upon when talking operator-player relationship, the one most frowned upon by regulators and courts alike, is the issue of casinos extending credit to gamblers. And it’s exactly this controversy that forms the foundation of the legal dispute between Australian casino operator The Star Entertainment Group and Singaporean businessman Wong Yew Choy. The man had supposedly run up debt to the tune of $29.5 million at the Australian operator’s Gold Coast Casino. He then refused to pay up, for a variety of sloppy reasons provided by him to a Singapore court. The court has however dismissed the operator’s application on the grounds that no provision is made in Singapore law for such an eventuality.

Most global world banks have voiced their utter disapproval of the practice and the majority of countries and bank groups now no longer allow players to play games online by making use of credit card payments. The reason for this is that people lose all perspective about the concept of money when they are dealing with funds not actually belonging to them but that they are still liable to pay back.

Did Not Want The Credit

The businessman had supposedly ripped through all of the credit provided to him by the Gold Coast operator; credit he claims he never even applied for; playing VIP table games at The Star Gold Coast Casino.

He however claims that the reason behind his refusal to settle his debt is that he was informed by a senior casino executive that due to certain mistakes made by a specific Baccarat dealer, he (the high roller) would not be required to square off with any of the debt racked up at Baccarat tables during the period leading up to July 29, 2018.

Operator Will Appeal Order

The high roller furthermore claims to have been informed by the same casino executive that if a repeat of such an incident were to occur in future, then the same logic would apply, in that he (Wong) would not be liable for payment. The businessman claims that exactly such an event occurred in the vicinity of August 1st, after which he had immediately stopped playing.

The Singapore International Commercial Court did not only dismiss the operator’s application for the recovery of the money owed to it by Wong but has allegedly also ordered that the Star casino pay the wasted legal costs of Wong. The operator has stated its intention to appeal against the outcome and order of cost.

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