London's Crown Aspinalls Files Lawsuit Against Debt-Owing, Drunken Gamer for Over Half a Million Pounds
Exclusive London Hangout, Aspinalls - a well-known private betting club nestled in the high-class Mayfair district - is doing everything in its power to recover a staggering £600K from one of its prestigious players, Lester Hui.
Owned and managed by Crown Resorts Australia, Aspinalls alleges that Hui dropped by the club on the night of February 9, 2016, and spent hours engrossed in double chance baccarat.
By the end of the evening, it is claimed that Hui had lost approximately £600K. He handed over a check for £589,724, but the casino alleged it bounced.
Hui subsequently accused the casino of breaching its commitment to social responsibility linked to its gambling license issued by the UK Gambling Commission. Hui alleged he was served too much Moutai, a popular Chinese spirit, throughout the night and became heavily intoxicated, explicitly 'blackout drunk'.
'Intoxicated Beyond Reason'
In response to Aspinalls' lawsuit against Hui for the recovery of his losses, Hui's legal team argued that casino staff exploited his intoxicated state by failing to intervene and stop the gambling.
London's Evening Standard reports that Hui's lawyers claimed casino staff knowingly neglected their duty to protect Hui from himself when he was 'intoxicated beyond reason'.
Hui's lawyers also argued that since their client was 'blackout drunk', he should not have been allowed to continue gaming, and Aspinalls had no lawful claim to his losses. However, casino representatives rejected these allegations, pointing to security footage that reportedly shows Hui staying sharp and coherent throughout his gambling session.
Aspinalls also dismissed Hui's claims that he warned casino staff he intended to get drunk and gamble, but specified he wished his losses to be limited to £30K.
Aspinalls has filed a lawsuit in this case, marking a turning point from a previous lawsuit involving the club.
In November 2021, a former table game dealer at Crown London Aspinalls succeeded in her racial discrimination lawsuit against the casino after successfully proving before a tribunal that she and other black dealers were subjected to racist and abusive language from customers. The tribunal will determine the compensation for the wronged former table game dealer in the near future.
Casino Obligations
Last year, the UK Gambling Commission finalized its National Strategy to Reduce Gambling-Related Harm. This two-year review led to a series of new regulatory conditions designed to minimize gambling harm.
Under UK Gambling Commission supervision, each land-based casino license holder must now comply with new guidelines to ensure responsible gambling at their establishments. As of September 2022, the License Conditions and Codes of Practice demand that physical casinos take measures to detect gamblers who might be gambling irrationally or beyond their financial capabilities.
“Licensees should have employment policies that require employees to report any signs of unusual and/or suspicious betting to their employer,” the Gambling Act now states.
