Cruise Company Faces Criticism After Male Passenger Takes His Life After Suffering Gambling Losses
An Australian cruise ship is receiving backlash after a passenger jumped to his death while owing thousands of dollars at the ship's casino.
The news was shared by the Daily Mail Australia on Monday. The man, 50-year-old Shane Dixon, a father of three, took his own life by jumping overboard on May 6, when the ship was around 10 nautical miles from Sydney Harbor. The incident happened on board the Pacific Adventure, a cruise ship run by P&O Australia, a subsidiary of the British P&O Cruises and parent company, Carnival Corporation.
Dixon had just returned from a three-night trip with his mother, Sue Dixon, who was treating him to a holiday after a string of family tragedies, including the recent death of both his father and a brother.
Troubled with financial difficulties following a divorce, Dixon decided to try his luck in the Pacific Adventure's casino. He reportedly lost A$5,000 (US$3,345) on the first night. His mother offered to cover his gambling losses, and he went back to the casino the next day. However, he ended up losing another A$4,000 without letting his mother know. Desperate and unable to handle his debt, Shane jumped overboard before their ship docked.
Some customers believe P&O Australia bears a share of responsibility for the tragedy. They claim that the cruise line often lends players extra money after they've lost, serves them free alcohol, and doesn't intervene when a gambler might be spending beyond their means. An anonymous P&O casino VIP labeled the cruise line's casinos "predatory."
Australian territories, where casinos are permitted, have strict regulations on the gaming industry. However, these rules don't apply to international waters, where the lack of safeguards can lead to problematic situations.
Carol Bennett, the CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, expressed her concerns to the Daily Mail Australia, saying, "It's really concerning that when a ship sails 12 nautical miles off the coast, it can allow anything and everything to happen. You would expect this cruise line would have some kind of duty of care to ensure that people are not pushed with incentives, promotions, and advertisements that might push them to gamble at unsafe levels."
Shane's brother, Scott Dixon, says P&O did nothing to stop his brother's suicide. "They use all these incentives to tell people, 'Come back, come back,'" Scott said. "It's terrible, it's wrong. Local pubs limit patrons, why not casinos?"
When asked for comment, a P&O spokesperson deemed it "inappropriate" to make a statement. The company referred reporters to their "Responsible Conduct of Gaming Policies" and stated they are "fully cooperating" with the coroner's investigation.
Australia has a significant problem with gambling and addiction, with over 70% of adults admitting to gambling at least once a year and 40% admitting they gamble weekly. Of those who gamble, around 46% are at risk of developing a gambling disorder.
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Source: www.casino.org
