All news

Gambler Wins After Club Releases Personal Information

January 17, 2012

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner determined that the gambling club Wentworthville Leagues must award compensation to a former gambling addict after details of the gambler’s winnings and losses were given to the gambler’s former spouse while the couple was going through a divorce.

According to an article on smh.com.au, the gambler, identified only as “D,” claimed that the breach of privacy had caused psychological and physical harm after the former spouse gave the information to the couple’s family and friends.

It was reported that the club issued the information to D’s former spouse, who had contacted the club in late 2007 while the couple was negotiating property and child custody settlements associated with their divorce. Enclosed in the letter was a nearly two-year-old subpoena from the Federal Magistrates Court asking for all records of transactions linked to gambling cards in D's name. But the letter asked the club to give the information not to the court, but to the former spouse.

According to the article, a club manager then sent full membership and bonus points details for eight months in 2002 and 2003, showing total turnover, losses, winnings, and the balance of D’s account at the club to the former spouse.

The article noted that D sought nearly $20,000 in compensation as reimbursement for sales commissions lost due to diminished job performance after learning about the information being released and shared. But the commissioner said other factors may have caused the loss and that the club staff had not acted maliciously. He determined that the club should apologize in writing and pay “D” $7,500 for the breach of privacy.

Global Policy Brief