Case M117/2012

Kakavas v. Crown Melbourne Limited and Ors

Case No.

M117/2012

Case Information

Lower Court Judgment

21/05/2012 Supreme Court of Victoria (Court of Appeal) (Mandie and Bongiorno JJA and Almond AJA)

[2012] VSCA 95

Catchwords

Equity – Unconscionable dealing – Appellant gambled at respondent's casino over extended period of time – Appellant alleged to suffer from psychiatric condition known as "pathological gambling" – Appellant also subject to "interstate exclusion order" for purposes of Casino Control Act 1991 (Vic) at all relevant times – Whether series of gambling transactions between appellant and respondent affected by unconscionable dealing – Whether respondent liable for unconscionable dealing in circumstances where its officers did not bring to mind matters known to them which placed the appellant at a special disadvantage – What constitutes constructive notice of a special disadvantage in a claim of unconscionable dealing against a corporate person – Whether 'equality of bargaining position' test for determining whether person under 'special disadvantage'.

Trade practices – Unconscionable conduct – Gambling transactions – Section 51AA for the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – Whether gambling transactions involved a contravention of s 51AA of the Trade Practices Act.

Short Particulars

Documents

14/12/2012 Hearing (SLA, Melbourne)

21/12/2012 Notice of appeal

25/01/2013 Written submissions (Appellant)

25/01/2013 Chronology (Appellant)

15/02/2013 Written submissions (Respondents)

01/03/2013 Reply

04/04/2013 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra)

05/04/2013 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra)

05/06/2013 Judgment  (Judgment summary)