Crown Melbourne, the Crown Resorts flagship casino in the Australian state of Victoria, has been fined AU$1 million and temporarily barred from working with junket.
The sanctions were announced by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) for alleged failures of its internal junket controls. The $1 million fine is the highest allowed by law under Victoria’s Casino Control Act.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, Crown failed to ensure the integrity of junket operators or maintain records relating to junket probity decisions.
The punishment “reflects the seriousness of this matter, and the fact that Crown’s failure to implement a robust process occurred over an extended period,” said VCGLR Chairman Ross Kennedy.
“Robust processes must be implemented to ensure that Crown’s Melbourne casino remains free from criminal influence and exploitation. These are strict and legislated regulatory requirements, and this is an area where Crown has repeatedly failed.”
A Royal Commission is now underway to determine Crown Melbourne’s suitability to operate in Victoria.
Meanwhile, in New South Wales (NSW), the state’s Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) has approved a six-month extension of interim liquor licenses for Crown Resorts’ AU$2.2 billion Crown Sydney.
The lavish waterfront property in the city’s Barangaroo section was allowed to open its hotel and dining facilities, but its VIP casino has never opened. Crown’s gaming license was suspended in February after the release of the Bergin Report, which found evidence of money laundering at Crown properties in Perth and Melbourne.
Crown is working to demonstrate a new culture of compliance in order to have its gaming license reinstated.
“Crown is required to undertake significant change to satisfy the authority that it is on a pathway to regain suitability to hold a gaming license,” said ILGA Chairman Philip Crawford. “It will take time for Crown to fully implement that change and for the authority to give it proper consideration before determining the most appropriate course of action.”
