Mr John Hassad, who wants to start a casino in Mildura, on Australia’s Murray River, was the instigator of the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

Not much of a recommendation.

In late 2009, when multi-millionaire gambling addict, Harry Kakavas, failed in the Supreme Court to reclaim $35 million he had lost at Crown, Justice David Harper criticised the casino:

“Crown does not present itself as a world leader in responsible gambling. Its relationship with Mr Kakavas does not give one any confidence that it deserves that status.”

* * *

In the Lu Hong case in 1997, four people were convicted of laundering $10 million as part of a heroin-distributing operation. It was Crown Casino where they laundered the money. (1)

Between 2003 and 2006, thousands of criminal offences were committed at Crown Casino: 445 assaults, 344 thefts from cars, 32 cases of handling stolen goods, 13 weapons offences, two kidnappings and eight sex offences. (2)

57% of electronic gambling-machine profits come from people with gambling problems ( i.e. those losing over $100 per session).  60% of “problem gamblers” break the law to feed their habit.

Of all places, Mildura is among the worst possible sites for a festering sore of this kind to be set up.

Mildura has already been identified as an above-average area for gambling losses on poker machines. (3)

* * *

But the state government loves it. They grab huge taxes from casino operators. There will be no help from Victorian premier, Mr Brumby.

Mildura people must fight off this threat by whatever means they can think up locally.

But no Mildura Rural City Councillor will speak up against it. They claim that the law prevents them commenting — which is a lie.

The councillors of Romsey, Victoria, last year showed that a Council with ratepayers’ interests at heart can curb invasion by the gambling industry — they banned all poker machines – if they want to. (4)

SOURCES: (1) Herald Sun, 25/9/1997, (2) The Age, 8/12/2009, (3) James Doughney, Senior Researcher, Workplace Studies Centre, Victoria University, (4) The Australian, 11/12/2009