A unique legal case is taking place in Australia, as a gambling addicted woman claims that pokies have deceived her. Citing the fact that she has been diagnosed as an addict, she went ahead to say that she is not looking to get back her losses by suing for damages. Her main issue concerns a specific slot, called Dolphin Treasure, that has been deemed as "misleading". The game requires five symbols to match on all five reels, something that the female gambler believes is practically impossible as the symbols appear uneven on the final reel. What is both interesting and perhaps troubling, is that if her claims are proven right, then the slot developer Aristocrat, will have to remove or alter this feature on a number of similar slots.
Crown Resorts, the casino in question, has not shied away from defending their reputation and the slot's fairness. The company's lawyers have dubbed the gambler's charges as "fanciful proposition", as they claim that the rules and clear for everyone to see. Regardless, pokies have recently come under scrutiny as the average Australian adult loses about £1300 each year on betting terminals, compared to just £400 in the UK.
Although no one can predict whether the court will rule against pokies, the recent ban on online poker is less than encouraging for gambling operators.