Aristocrat Gaming Cleared by Australian Federal Court

The Federal Court in the Australian state of Victoria has dismissed a case brought by a former gambling addict against slot machine maker Aristocrat Technologies Australia and Australian casino operator Crown Resorts. The judge said that the design of a popular line of poker machines was not misleading or unconscionable.

The lawsuit was launched in 2016 by former gambling addict Shonica Guy. The lawsuit argued that the Dolphin Treasure machine, which is manufactured by Aristocrat and available to players at Crown Resorts’ properties, had been “deceptively designed to mislead players”. The lawsuit was filed against casino resort Crown Melbourne and Aristocrat Technologies.

According to a report by the Australian Financial Review, judge Debbie Mortimer of the Australian Federal Court ruled that while the “total theoretical return to player” displayed on the screen of the machines in question might be misleading, this impression was “fleeting” and would be “dispelled as soon as she or he actually starts gambling and the randomness of the operation of the machine and the returns become apparent”.

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