Aussie Gambler Files Lawsuit after Losing $400K

With hundreds of millions lost to gambling on a monthly basis, the activity is identified as a public health problem in Australia. While different states try to implement changes to the regulatory framework, a large portion of the country’s population loses money to gambling on a daily basis, which in turn causes other issues such as bankruptcy, debts and in some cases even suicide.

Now, one gambler who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars filed a lawsuit against the companies he played with. As announced by the Australian Associated Press, Alexander Gassner, a man who lost some AU$600,000 ($400,000) to gambling, filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against two companies he gambled with, Beteasy and Sportsbet.

Ultimately, with the lawsuit, the man seeks to recover his losses. At the same time, Gassner reportedly seeks interest on the amount he lost, as well as recovering the legal costs for the lawsuit. The man explained that the money he lost included savings, as well as funds from his business.

In His Lawsuit, the Man Claims He Was Encouraged to Gamble

Between August 2015 and June 2021, Gassner lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to gambling, he claimed in his lawsuit. While using Beteasy, the man claimed he lost some AU$485,000 ($323,400). This happened until September 2020, when Gassner stopped using the operator and switched to Sportsbet. With Sportsbet, the man claimed he lost some AU$121,000 ($80,000). That money was lost between September 2020 and June 2021. In June 2021, Gassner stopped using Sportsbet as well.

“Beteasy and Sportsbet did not use any of this information to make further inquiry of Gassner about his ability to sustain large losses or his ability to control his gambling behavior. Instead, Beteasy and Sportsbet promoted gambling to Gassner and enticed and encouraged him to gamble,“

wrote Alexander Gassner in his lawsuit filed with the Federal Court

In his lawsuit, the man claims that neither of the operators contacted him to determine how he is able to afford such big losses. Gassner also claimed that Sportsbet and Beteasy did not ask him whether he has control over his gambling, accusing the two companies of “unconscionable conduct.”

Moreover, Gassner claimed that the two gambling companies promoted gambling activities to him. He alleged that he was encouraged and enticed to gamble by both Sportsbet and Beteasy. A hearing on the case is scheduled for November 3, 2023.