Casino News

Gambler wins appeal against casino

2007-10-19 16:11:25

Businessman Fouad al-Zayat, known as 'Fat Man' in gambling circles has won an appeal against a High Court ruling.

Mr al-Zayat had run up a £2 million debt in one night at Aspinall's Club in London and had been ordered to pay up because he had no real chance of defending himself in court.

However, he has had the decision overturned and will now face a judge to plead his case, the Times has reported.

Mr al-Zayat believes that Aspinall's should not be able to force him to pay the debt because the cheque which he gave to the casino had not been dated.

He claims under the Gaming Act that this was not a lawful provision of credit.

Lord Justice Sedley, who took part in the appeal, said: "Aspinall's, instead of burning their bridges with Mr al-Zayat by suing him on his cheque, permitted him for another six years to go on gambling so that he could lose millions more pounds to them.

"Then, at the last permissible minute, they sued him."

Mr al-Zayat said to the Telegraph in an interview a few months ago: "If my name was an English name, not an Arabic name, this would never have happened."