An Australian man has taken his own life after accumulating debts in a cruise ship’s casino, Daily Mail reported. Safer gambling experts believe that Dixon’s suicide could have been prevented if the ship provider had provided adequate duty of care.

Shane Dixon, 50, jumped to his death as the ship approached Sydney. A father of three children, the man racked up a debt of AUD 4,000 in the shipboard casino. His family believes that the stress caused by the debt has led him to take his own life.

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Scott Dixon, Shane’s brother, said that the deceased man must have panicked.

His brain was probably going 100 miles an hour. He probably thought, “s***, I’ve done it again, I can’t afford it and I can’t ask mum for more money.“

Scott Dixon

Scott and the two men’s mother were aboard the Pacific Adventure together. The ship is owned and operated by P&O Australia, which was hosting an Elvis-themed cruise. Everything had been going well before Shane entered the shipboard casino.

Scott explained that his brother had been struggling financially for a while. The man had also been dealing with a broken marriage and the passing of their father and third brother. Scott believes that the casino might have incentivized Shane to play, taking advantage of his vulnerabilities.

The Casino Failed to Protect the Player

Australia’s Alliance for Gambling Reform weighed in on the matter. Carol Bennett, CEO of the organization, believes that Pacific Adventure has failed to provide Shane with sufficient duty of care. Bennett said that the fact that Pacific Adventure allowed something like that to happen is “really concerning.”

The rules that might apply on land no longer seem to apply and yet you would expect this cruise line would have some kind of duty of care to ensure that people are not plied with inducements, promotions and advertisements that are pushing them to gamble to extremely harmful levels.

Carol Bennett, CEO, Alliance for Gambling Reform

Since cruise ships operate casinos in international waters, they can bypass regional regulations and requirements. To make matters worse, some such ships’ gambling can be charged to their room bill, making it easier to overspend.

Bennett said that cruise ships should adopt at least some basic harm prevention measures, such as loss limits. If they don’t then governments would really need to address the matter, Bennett added.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO added that problem gambling is a huge issue in Australia and is affecting millions of families.  

VIP Member Says P&O Cruises’ Casinos Are Predatory

An anonymous high-roller who is a member of P&O Cruises’ VIP casino program, tipped Daily Mail off that the cruise company uses “predatory” strategies to promote its gambling products. While the player said that he always plans his spending carefully, he added that many players, especially vulnerable ones, will not.

They are essentially offshore casinos that come and pick people up from shore and take them out to international waters to gamble. If you don’t have the means to pay and you have an issue, there is no one to stop you so you can rack up a large amount of debt.

P&O high-roller

A P&O spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the company prefers to refrain from commenting on this tragic event while a coroner’s investigation is carried out. The representative, however, reassured the news outlet that her company’s casinos have Responsible Conduct of Gaming Policies in place across all ships and take them very seriously. The spokesperson concluded that her team would cooperate with the investigation.

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A man for Oklahoma has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a man who jokingly bragged about winning at a local casino. As it turned out, the supposed winner had no money, which infuriating the killer.

Back in October 2020, the killer, Kevin Marvell Jackson, 22, was attending a house party in Muskogee with his girlfriend Natalie McMahon. There, he met with the victim, Bradley Dillon, 19, and another friend named Dakota Berryhill.

At one point, Dillon and Berryhill left the party and went to Creek Nation Casino Muskogee, a local gambling property. While on their way back to the party, the two called their friends and joked about winning $10,000.

The money tempted Jackson and, without taking time to consider whether Dilon and Berryhill had truly won a prize, he prepared to rob them. Jackson quickly grabbed a gun and hid his face with a ski mask. Then, he waited for the two other men to return and ambushed them as they got out of the car.

Jackson then learned that the two men had no money. Angry, he threatened them with a gun, telling them to drive to an ATM and withdraw some. At that point, Berryhill got scared, jumped back into the car and drove away, leaving his Dillon behind. The frustrated killer then took the young man’s life, shooting him five times.

Jackson Will Spend His Life Behind Bars

Dillon was rushed to St. Francis Hospital but was pronounced dead. In the meantime, the police began the search for the killer.

A woman by the name Vicky Garza saw the murder and helped the police identify the killer. Facebook Messenger conversations with McMahon helped the law enforcers incriminate him. However, it wouldn’t be before several weeks that the murderer was finally arrested.

Jackson’s despicable crime has now earned him two life sentences without the right for parole. He was also sentenced to 180 in prison for robbery in an Indian Country and 180 months in prison for using a firearm for a violent crime.

Attorney Christopher Wilson commented on the matter, saying that there is no room in society for people who commit “such callous acts” as Jackson.

In other legal news, two Las Vegas dealers were arrested for allegedly helping two regular baccarat players win big sums.

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A lucky woman from Warren, Michigan, has won a $390,000 jackpot playing Lucky for Life. What makes this win so special is the fact that this was the first time she ever played the game.

Shayla Kauflin, 39, explained that she bought the Lucky for Life ticket on a whim. She was browsing the Michigan Lottery website, seeking to purchase Powerball tickets online. While looking around, she saw the Lucky for Life game listed. Telling herself “Why not?” Kauflin bought $10 worth of tickets.

She logged into her lottery account the next day and was surprised to see that she had won a $390,000 prize. In an interview with MLive, she said:

I logged in to my Lottery account the next day to see if I’d won anything, and when I saw $390,000 pending, I started screaming, crying, and freaking out! I called my husband to tell him how much I’d won, and he was concerned at first because he thought something was wrong.

Shayla Kauflin, lottery winner

Kauflin opted to receive $390,000 as a one-time lump-sum, instead of $25,000 a year for 20 years.

Kauflin told reporters that she plans to celebrate by booking a Disney vacation for her whole family. The woman plans to invest the rest of the sum.

The woman admitted that the feeling of having won such a sum is indescribable and that she feels like “the weight of the world has been taken off her shoulders.” She admitted that this sum is not enough to change the world but it’s definitely enough to change her world.

Other Recent Lottery Winners

Elsewhere, а lucky NJ woman won $290,000 while playing online during a conference call. After placing a $2 bet, the woman hit the jackpot and almost screamed.

In Chicago, a Lotto player who has yet to claim their prize has won $1.2 million. The ticket was sold at a Jewel Osco store in the Lake View community area on October 27. The store which sold the winning ticket is now set to receive a $12,000 bonus.

On October 24, meanwhile, an Excalibur visitor hit a $12 million jackpot from a Megabucks slot.

In the meantime, players in the United States are bracing for the next Powerball draw where $152 million is on the line.

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Altostratus Limited, an Isle of Man-based firm, has submitted a proposal for the development of a new casino in the British Crown dependency’s capital. The project would see a new property established at the Middlemarch site in Douglas.

Altostratus’ project envisions turning the site into a six-story casino building packed with a gaming space, a bingo hall, a sports bar and multiple offices. The company’s project would also create 25 apartments and would see the rooftop turned into a garden for the residents.

The company has also planned multiple parking spaces around the building, allowing casino goers, office workers and residents to comfortably park their vehicles.

For reference, the Middlemarch site in Douglas is located between Fort Street, Lord Street, Walpole Avenue and Victoria Street. The property is owned by the Manx Government and is currently being used as a parking lot.

The Casino Would Enhance Douglas’ Appeal

If the project is approved, the Palace Hotel & Casino, currently sitting on Douglas Promenade, will be relocated to the new property.

The casino itself would be located on the first floor. In addition to that, Altostratus’ project also envisions a sports bar and a bingo hall, allowing the property to engage a variety of players.

The upper floors will have multiple offices, allowing enhancing the business value of the building.

According to Altostratus’ plans, the entrance to the casino and the planned office space would be on Victoria Street.

As mentioned, the building would also sport 25 apartments on the topmost three levels of the building. The entrance to the apartment part of the complex would be on Lord Street.

Proponents of the new property believe that it could become a central hub for festivals, races and holiday markets. Some have even suggested that an ice rink could be set up outside the property during the winter holidays.

Overall, the project has the potential to enhance Douglas’ appeal and sustainability and, thanks to its office space, would create opportunities for local businesses, nurturing the economy.

Earlier this year, Altenar set up a new office in the Isle of Man which complemented the growth of the company and allowed it to capture new talent.

A month earlier, Crucial Compliance also opened an office in the British Crown dependency.

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The globally-recognized tennis integrity body, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), confirmed Thursday it imposed a tough sanction against a player that was found to have breached the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). Judging by a statement released by the Agency, Alexis Musialek, a French professional tennis player, was banned from the sport for life after breaches related to match-fixing.

The professional tennis player who had the highest ATP singles ranking of 255 in 2015 initially denied all charges against him. However, an investigation led by Raj Parker, an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO), uncovered that Musialek was involved in match-fixing of nine matches between 2016 and 2018. Additionally, it was determined that the French player failed to cooperate with ITIA’s probe and withheld evidence.

Overall, according to ITIA, Musialek was involved in a total of 39 breaches of the TACP rules. According to the Agency: “The 35-year-old was found to have – among other offenses – contrived the outcome of multiple matches, received money, benefit or consideration for contriving the outcome of these matches.” The integrity watchdog also said that Musialek engaged with other players, encouraging them “not to use their best efforts.”

In light of the uncovered breaches, the French tennis player received a lifetime ban from the sport. Additionally, a hefty $50,000 fine was imposed against him. Although it was announced this week, the sanction was in effect as of August 5, 2023, the ITIA confirmed.

The lifetime ban means that Musialek won’t be permitted to play or coach at any event sanctioned or authorized by the governing bodies of tennis permanently. He is also prohibited from attending such events as well.

The Tennis Integrity Watchdog Remains Vigilant

As the independent body, safeguarding the integrity of tennis, ITIA has the authority to implement sanctions which may include fines, temporary or even permanent bans. Earlier this month, the Agency confirmed it imposed provisional suspensions against three players over TACP breaches. At the time, the ITIA alleged that Timur Khabibulin, Sanjar Fayziev and Igor Smilansky were involved in multiple breaches related to match-fixing.

Before that, back in July, the Agency hit the Bolivian tennis umpire, Percy Flores, with a temporary ban from the sport for a duration of 12 years. The tough sanction came after the regulatory watchdog uncovered a whopping 31 breaches of the TACP rules between November 2021 and October 2022.

Again, in July, the ITIA confirmed the launch of a new mandatory integrity education for junior players in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Ultimately, that training seeks to educate and raise awareness about the importance of the sport’s integrity.

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40-year-old Luke Ashton, a father of two, took his own life in April 2021 while fighting his severe gambling addiction which had caused him to lose £5,000 ($6,400) during just one month. One of the gaming operators that Asthon had frequently used since 2012, Betfair, has now admitted that its protection systems have failed to identify the player as an “at-risk gambler.”

In a historic decision, Betfair has been called an “interested person” in the inquest, which is a first in the industry. The company admitted it “should have done more” to protect the vulnerable player who died on April 22, 2021, after he was “consumed” by his addiction. 

Up to 100 Bets a Day

Before losing the large amount during a single month, Ashton had made a habit out of gambling up to 100 times a day. The player preferred the operator’s Exchange platform to bet on horse and greyhound racing events that took place in the UK as well as abroad. 

Betfair describes Exchange as an option that is “generally more low risk” and also one that is used by “sophisticated and highly-skilled” players. In January 2019, Ashton was averaging 55 daily bets. 

During the remainder of the same year, according to the hearing held at the coroner’s office for Leicester and South Leicestershire, Ashton took out £18,000 ($23,000) in total loans in an attempt to clear his debts. 

His addiction peaked in March 2021, when he reached 1,229 bets. March was also the month when he made a £2,500 ($3,200) deposit in a single day.

While the family had to sell their home, Ashton didn’t manage to set himself free of his addiction and continued to frequent a number of gambling websites in the month prior to his demise.

Failing Machine-Learning Algorithm

During the second day of the hearing held earlier in the week, the Flutter-owned operator used the voice of managing director Richard Clarke to admit that their algorithm which is based on machine learning did not identify Ashton as a high-risk gambler. 

The algorithm that is used to closely track customer data is supposed to identify the behavior of players who had used the self-exclusion option from the operator’s platform for six months. 

Ashton used the same exclusion option in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Nonetheless, the algorithm was not able to deem him at high-risk and issue a permanent ban on him.

While Clarke expressed confidence in the company’s compliance with the current regulations, he added that by looking at the player’s activity in March 2021, “it does look like we should’ve done more.”

“Things Have Changed a Lot”

Betfair’s managing director also told the hearing that approximately 10,000 of their customers had placed more bets than Ashton in March 2021, which coincided with the grand opening of the horse racing season.

Since then, added Clarke, a series of changes had been put into practice. Among them, the implementation of a strict £500 ($640) monthly deposit limit for players under the age of 25, a £10 ($12.80) maximum stake limit on all slots, and a monthly net deposit limit for all returning customers at the end of a self-exclusion period, after a detailed assessment via phone.

Clarke also mentioned financial vulnerability checks via third-party reference agencies as an additional prevention measure. 

Mr Nicholls, who represented Ashton’s family during the hearing, said Betfair should have excluded the victim from their website. The inquest will be resumed on June 16.

In April, Betfair was fined for offering markets for 148 matches between 2021 and 2022 for the U21 Allsvenskan, a youth soccer league on which operators are forbidden to offer wagering. 
In May, the National Health Service in the UK revealed that, based on its Problem Gambling Severity Index scores, around 0.3% of gambling adults were labeled as problem gamblers and 2.8% of adults were found at risk to engage in problem gambling.

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Two women from Moreno Valley, California, have been given life imprisonment without parole for the murder of 84-year-old Afaf Assad at Pechanga Resort Casino in 2019. 

Victim’s Family Seeks Justice as Women Receive Life Sentence for Elderly Murder

Kimesha Monae Williams, aged 39, and Candace Tai Townsel, aged 42, were convicted in February this year of murder, robbery, and elder abuse. The murder was aggravated by the crimes of theft and mistreatment of the old woman, resulting in a life sentence for both women. The sentences for robbery and elder abuse were stayed as part of the single act that led to the murder of Assad.

The Mercury News reported that during the sentencing at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley on April 21, 2023, Mary Assad, the victim’s daughter, delivered an impact statement, saying that this had been a painful journey through the court justice system. She said that she could not believe her mother was the victim of such a violent crime. The family was seeking a reckoning for the heinous act committed by the two women, but not vengeance.

Kimesha Monae Williams, in a statement read to the court by her attorney, expressed her condolences and stated that she had not killed anyone. She added that the court found her guilty of the charges, but the truth was known to God. Townsel did not make any statement.

The statement made by Williams did not move Superior Court Judge Timothy F. Freer. The judge said that the idea that neither Williams nor Townsel were responsible for the death of a human being was laughable. 

Calls for Greater Security Measures After Elderly Murder at Pechanga Resort Casino

Judge Freer further mentioned that the victim, who had lived a long life, did not deserve to be violently murdered in a casino. He added that she was left on a bathroom floor with her head exploding. Several family members and friends of the victim wiped tears and sobbed as Freer pronounced the life sentence without parole.

The Riverside County District Attorney, Mike Hestrin, did not seek the death penalty. This case has attracted significant attention in California, and the sentences are expected to send a strong message to criminals who target the elderly. 

The incident at the Pechanga Resort Casino has raised concerns regarding the safety of senior citizens who visit such places. There have been calls for greater security measures and more robust screening processes for visitors to prevent future occurrences.

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Tracey Stevenson, a Thetford, UK resident, was sentenced to four years in prison back in 2017 after she admitted stealing £1.7 million ($2.1 million) from her employer. The hefty sum reportedly was primarily used for gambling, as well as personal expenditures. Besides the money she stole, Stevenson had ironically secured two significant gambling wins, £220,000 ($177,800) and £1.6 million ($2 million).

But neither those wins nor the money she stole to fuel her gambling habit couldn’t help her turn her life around like prison did. In a recent interview for Metro, Stevenson shared her story and how she was able to turn her life around, after the millions won, lost, stolen and her four-year prison sentence.

Oftentimes, gambling is an entertainment activity, but some people see it as an escape from real life. Well, this is precisely Stevenson’s case. Throughout her life, she enjoyed gambling. Stevenson admitted that once she turned 18, she started playing bingo with her mother. While back then, Stevenson spent some £15 ($12) a week, that all changed once she found online gambling.

As with many people who suffer from at-risk or problem gambling, Stevenson started chasing losses. In 2011, she scored a six-figure win, or some $177,800, which helped her a bit, until she gambled it all away. During that time, Stevenson was going through a tough time in her life, given one of her friends passed away. She also had marital problems. Those issues accumulated and she admitted that she was losing a lot to gambling, given that the activity became for her an “escape from real life.”

From Stealing as an Accountant to Prison

Soon after, Stevenson reportedly started stealing from her employer. Initially, the sums weren’t that big and given that she knew her way around finance, she was able to get away with it, to some extent. In 2012, Stevenson won £1.6 million ($2 million) playing slots. She admitted that soon the money was once again gambled away. “I soon gambled it all away, though, because every time I lost, I honestly thought I could win the money back. When I didn’t, I kept on stealing,” explained Stevenson.

Several years had passed but the woman said that she had a hard time living with the stress and shame of what she had done. By that time, the stolen money had hit £1.7 million ($2.1 million). At some point, Stevenson faced a difficult choice – she thought to either take her life or admit to what she had done.

She first told her husband, who then explained the story to her employer. Soon after that, Stevenson faced jail time. Although she could’ve received eight to ten years, her sentence, in the end, was four years. In addition, she was ordered to pay nearly £800,000 ($647,000).

In prison, Stevenson became a peer-support worker, a job that involves supporting the new prisoners. Sadly, after her prison sentence, in order to recover the stolen money, she lost everything. Those events had a devastating impact on her marriage as well. Once out of prison, Stevenson worked for a charity before COVID hit. Currently, she helps women who were involved or at risk of being involved in the criminal justice system and admits that she is “at peace” with herself.

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