New South Wales’ (NSW) top regulator, Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson, has selected the leadership team for the newly formed NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC), which will commence operations on September 5.
Philip Crawford has been appointed as chief commissioner of the NICC—he currently serves as chairperson of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA), which previously oversaw all regulatory duties for the region before the establishment of the NICC. In addition to the new role, he will also retain a non-executive role on the ILGA board to “ensure consistency in approach.”
Anderson told iGaming Business that Crawford “has a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory issues facing modern casinos and the need to fundamentally reset the way they operate.” He has full confidence that under Crawford’s leadership, “NSW casinos will be monitored in line with the new laws and face strong disciplinary action for compliance failures, past and present.”
In addition to Crawford, it was also announced that four additional regulators will transition over from the ILGA to form the leadership team for the NICC, those being Stephen Parbery, Craig Sahlin, Janine Rolfe and Murray Smith.
The new commission’s first task will be to continue reviewing and monitoring the suitability of Crown Resorts’ Crown Sydney casino, per Anderson. The inspiration for founding the NICC came as one of the many recommendations that were featured in the Bergin Report into Crown Sydney, originally published in early 2021.
Anderson has said that the NICC will be “a collaborative body, working with ILGA and Hospitality & Racing, and as part of a multi-agency coordination committee with NSW Police and the NSW Crime Commission to guide the regulatory efforts of both NICC and ILGA, and to identify potential law enforcement collaborations in areas such as money laundering.”
The NSW government announced earlier this month that it was increasing the maximum fine for casino operators to AU$100 million, or US$69.7 million.
