Posted on 02/04/2005 1:30:43 PM PST by franksolich
Compulsive gambler sues
A Norwegian man has taken state-owned Norsk Tipping (Norwegian Betting) to court after losing NOK 11.4 million (USD 1.78 million) on various games of chance.
The case against the state-lottery and betting body goes to trial next week in Hedemark municipal court. According to magazine Kapital, the man has been diagnosed as a pathological gambler.
The betting took place from December 2001 until October 2002, using funds from a corporation that the man owned. Seven of the 11.4 million came from winnings.
The man's attorney told newspaper Hamar Arbeiderbladet that there will be several points crucial to the trial, including the claim that the man was given credit by the betting agent. Betting on credit is illegal in Norway and Norsk Tipping has clear regulations forbidding this.
Norsk Tipping would not comment on the matter before the trial.
I enjoy gambling a great deal but I would never dream of suing a casino if I lost a bunch of money.
"Ping" for the "Norway ping list."
You know, if I ever win the Powerball lottery, I plan to invest a small portion of the proceeds into financing P.J.'s book about the DUmmies in DUmmieland.
Because I am trying, very hard, to expand this "Norway ping list," I now have a special offer; new pingees will be offered two pings for one--the "Norway ping list," and the choice of some of the most excellent and illuminating ping lists on Free Republic; P.J.'s DUmmie FUnnies, the "Swedish ping list," Mr. Silverback's excellent photographs of idiots, or the fine lyrics of Doug from Upland.....all of them "ping lists" well worth being on.
I am totally in favor of legalized gambling. However, I also think that allowing people to gamble on credit is a really bad idea. If someone is trying to borrow money on credit to gamble, that's a sure sign that they're on the road to ruin.
Right, sir; when people start using credit for such purchasses, that's a sign the downfall isn't far away; I see it happen all the time.
Using spare change is fine, but not plastic.
Gambling on credit is far more common than you think.
When a high roller or whale comes to Vegas to gamble do you think he has a suit case with several million in cash to buy chips? No. The casino gives him a marker and if he wins, the amount of the market is deducted when he cashes out. If he losses, he has to pay it off within a period of time.
It's not surprising that the house would be willing to offer credit lines, especially to the high rollers. Whether or not that should be the case is another question. It might be that the high rollers are better equipped to handle it responsibly than the average joes.
And that's probably more of a problem, sir, the "average Joe" using his Mastercard or Visa to buy lottery tickets.
It is one thing for some really stupid guy who happens to be awash in several millions, who splatters his money away, and the "average Joe" who by fate and circumstances must watch his money more carefully.
Well, within the last week or so they had a story on KFI about some guy from Newport Beach suing a casino because they “allowed” him to gamble… something like that. I think he had actually lost $4.-something million over some period of time.
OTOH, if he wins money from the case, there’s a good chance the (or a) casino will get it back.
In fact, I’d probably approach it that way. Settle by giving him a million (or whatever) plus a free suite in the casino for a week. Few free cocktails… you’ll probably get your money back in spades.
Dang, wish the Casinos here would give you credit. All they got are those ATM machines. But I have to say, the ATMs do pay pretty well.
It pretty much as to be the case. Do you think these people are going to fly to Vegas (even on private jets) with millions of dollars in cash? Or go to a bank in Vegas and try to withdraw millions in cash? They can't write a check, as that is illegal to do for chips.
They have to gamble on credit. There really is no other way.
And you need not be a high roller to get a "mark".
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