Gambler who lost $20,000 in six hours was so drunk he couldn’t spell his name, NT Racing Commission

A problem gambler who was drunk and high on weight loss pills lost $20,000 in six hours despite not being able to spell his own name correctly.

The man, known only as Mr D, later complained to the Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC) saying he did not remember the six-hour streak on December 13 last year.

Mr D arguing he should be refunded the full amount because he spelled his name wrong and was ‘chasing his losses’.

However the NTRC ruled the online bookmaker Neds.com.au did not breach their duty of care.

Neds.com.au told the Racing Commission the man had spelled his first name ‘close enough that we assumed they were one and the same person’ and ruled out the possibility he was a fraud.  

Racing Commisson presiding member John Boneham said there was a ‘very high threshold of responsibility for the gambler as to their own actions’.

The man, known only as Mr D, later complained to the Northern Territory Racing Commission (pictured) saying he did not remember the six-hour streak on December 13 last year

The NTRC ruled the online bookmaker Neds.com.au (pictured) did not breach their duty of care

Mr Boneham said a bookmaker would only be ordered to refund a gambler if deliberate or gross conduct was found.

‘Only in the most extreme cases of deliberate and gross conduct by the operator who has knowledge of the vulnerability of the problem gambler that there would be any duty owned to prevent loss,’ Mr Boneham said.

‘It may well be that the appellant found it difficult, even impossible, to control his urge to continue gambling beyond the point of prudence. However, there was nothing which prevented him staying away from the club.’

The gambler (stock) said he was so drunk and high on weight-loss pills he did not remember the entire six-hour streak