Gambler's Court Gamble Fails

Graham Calvert, 28, of North England, hoped to recover 2 million pounds he had lost while gambling at William Hill Casino, accusing the bookmaker of accepting his bets against their policy to reject problem gamblers.

A court ruling Wednesday rejected his lawsuit, and added an additional sum of 336,000 pounds that Mr. Calvert will have to pay in legal costs.

Gambling Stands Trial
The online gambling community, casino operators, bookmakers and Online Casino Reports have all been following the lawsuit in recent weeks. Its implications were clearly such of tremendous gravity - Should a bookmaker be held responsible when the gambler himself is not?

Gambling, the fate of gamblers, and the fate of gambling operations and the extent of their responsibility was on the line. Indeed, all eyes were directed at the Justice Briggs, ever since the story was first reported.

The Ruling
Justice has had its say. Calvert's case was turned down. Justice Briggs ruled that the gambling company was not liable for the losses.

Calvert paid for the trial with money he borrowed, digging a hole even deeper than the one he found himself after such bets as the 347,000 pounds he bet on a single wager on the US team who he thought would win the 2006 Ryder Cup.

Justice Briggs had ruled that William Hill  failed to take "reasonable steps" to stop Calvert, but that his "pathological gambling" would have led him to financial ruin nevertheless; it would have only taken longer to get there, he said.

What's Next
Calvert, we hope, will not gamble ever again. Certainly not now that the court itself has ruled he is pathological. His latest gamble - the lawsuit - has also failed.

He is still able, however, to take his case directly to the Court of Appeal, as his lawyer, Anneliese Day, may very well opt to do.

The final word will be given to David Hood, spokesman for William Hill, who said: "We stated from the outset that there was no case to answer to Mr. Calvert. The judge found that no general duty of care is owed to problem gamblers and that Hills handling of Mr. Calvert's calls did not cause his loss."