A tragic turn of events transpired on a cruise ship off the coast of Australia, where a man, burdened by sizable gambling debts, took his own life, as detailed by the Daily Mail. Specialists in safe gambling practices speculate that the incident might have been averted had the cruise operator been more proactive in discharging its care duties.
Shane Dixon, aged 50, chose to end his life by jumping overboard as the ship neared Sydney. As a father to three children, Dixon had incurred a hefty debt of AUD 4,000 in the onboard casino. His family is of the opinion that the distress triggered by the debt was the main factor leading him to take this drastic step.
During a session with Daily Mail Australia, Scott Dixon, the deceased’s brother, indicated that his late brother must have been besieged by fear.
I imagine his thoughts were racing. He likely fretted, “Damn, I’ve made a mess again, I can’t afford it, and I can’t request more money from mum.”
Scott Dixon
Scott and their mother were also sailing on the Pacific Adventure with Shane. The cruise ship, which was operating under P&O Australia, hosted an Elvis-themed cruise. Everything appeared to be going smoothly until Shane visited the casino on board.
Scott illuminated on his brother’s financial struggles leading up to the tragedy. In addition to his financial difficulties, Dixon was grappling with the collapse of his marriage, and the loss of their father and another brother. Scott argues that the casino could have lured Shane into gambling, capitalizing on his instability.
Inadequate Player Protection in the Casino
The Alliance for Gambling Reform in Australia has weighed in and expressed concerns over the incident. Carol Bennett, the alliance’s CEO, asserts that Pacific Adventure should have offered Shane more effective care and supervision. Bennett believes it is profoundly disturbing that such an incident occurred under the watch of Pacific Adventure.
The guidelines that are enforced on land apparently do not apply the same way on board a cruise ship. Nevertheless, one would presume this cruise line would have some sense of responsibility towards its patrons to ensure they are not coaxed into incessantly gambling to potentially hazardous degrees through inducements, publicity, and promotions.
Carol Bennett, CEO, Alliance for Gambling Reform
It is a double-edged sword that cruise ships operate casinos in international waters, thereby skirting regional regulations and obligations. To compound the problem, some cruise lines offer the convenience of charging gambling expenses to the room bill, thus exacerbating the risk of overindulgence.
According to Bennett, at the very least, cruise lines ought to implement basic safeguards such as loss limits to prevent harm. If they fail to do so, government bodies need to step in, Bennett stressed.
Bennett emphasized that problematic gambling habits are a widespread issue in Australia, affecting millions of households.
VIP Player Accuses P&O Cruises’ Casinos of Predatory Behaviour
A confidential source, who also happens to be a high-roller participant of P&O Cruises’ VIP casino program, voiced his concerns to Daily Mail about the cruise line’s allegedly “predatory” strategies for promoting their gambling products. While this player confessed to being careful with his spending habits, he also pointed out that not all players exercise the same level of restraint, especially those who are vulnerable.
Essentially, they are offshore casinos that transport people from land to international waters to gamble. If you lack the financial means to pay and have a gambling problem, there is no one to intervene as you accumulate substantial debts.
P&O high-roller
In response to the allegations, a representative from P&O refrained from commenting on the tragic incident, citing an ongoing coroner’s investigation. However, she reassured the news source that all onboard casinos under P&O adhere to Responsible Conduct of Gaming Policies thoroughly. She made it clear that her team would extend their full cooperation during the investigation.
