Crown Casino Melbourne Closing Time
Victoria's gambling regulator and the State Government are under increasing pressure over its handling of Crown Casino after the gaming giant admitted money laundering was likely to have occurred at its Melbourne and Perth casinos.
The closure of Crown Melbourne, however, would have a damaging economic impact. The casino and hotel complex is Victoria's largest single-site employer in the private sector, with more than 12,500. The lawyer representing Crown, Neil Young, is set to address the allegations in his closing submissions on November 16. Story continues Mr Young said CCTV vision aired at the inquiry showing a bag full of cash being unloaded at one of Crown's high-roller rooms in Melbourne was not definitive proof of money laundering.
The admission to a NSW inquiry has prompted that state's regulator to delay the opening of Crown's new multi-billion-dollar casino in Sydney.
The NSW inquiry is assessing Crown Resorts' suitability to hold a casino licence.
A six-month joint investigation by 60 MINUTES, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald has exposed a corporate scandal unlike anything Australia has seen befor. A Crown Melbourne security guard patrols the casino entrance. (Image: Scott Barbour/AAP Image) Effective 11:59 pm local time July 8, and running for at least six weeks, 5.2 million Victorians will.
The revelations in Sydney about Crown's Melbourne operations have raised fresh questions over the effectiveness of the Victoria Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) which has been approached with multiple complaints about Crown in recent years.
and The Age have exposed allegations of money laundering, links to criminal groups and overseas junket operators.
The VCGLR has issued a show cause notice to Crown over its junket operations — in which cashed-up overseas gamblers are lured to Crown. The nation's anti-money laundering body AUSTRAC is also investigating issues at the casino.
As previously reported by the ABC, there are concerns from within the VCGLR that issues at Crown are not being taken seriously by the watchdog.
Gambling reform advocate says political donations helped Crown avoid scrutiny
Tim Costello, the chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said Crown's 'bombshell' admission that money laundering was likely occurring in Melbourne and Perth was 'simply extraordinary' and should be of concern to all Australians.
'It says it [Crown] has been a criminal enterprise,' he said.
'There has been wholesale money laundering going on and Crown admitted it [on Wednesday] after effectively hiding it for most of the inquiry.
'This is quite an astonishing finding that every Australian should be shaking in their boots that this has gone on for so long.'
Mr Costello said the revelations should put the spotlight back on the VCGLR and the national corporate regulator ASIC.
He has also criticised Crown's influence over Victorian politicians on both sides of the aisle.
He said the gaming giant's ties to Spring Street accounted for why allegations of criminal activity in Melbourne's casinos had gone without consequence for so long.
'Crown has captured politics [and] the politicians are silent because it gives great donations to both sides of politics,' Mr Costello said.
'That is why it has taken a New South Wales inquiry to really expose massive laundering and criminal activity here in Melbourne.'
In 2017-18, Crown donated $35,000 to Victorian Labor and $30,000 to Victorian Liberals.
Mr Costello said he expected far-reaching organisational change at Crown with an 'embarrassed' board facing fallout from the inquiry.
'They've got to turn over most of their board. They have been utterly exposed and they have effectively just been puppets of James Packer,' he said.
'James Packer is almost certainly going to have to sell out and hand over to someone who can pass the probity test in holding a licence.'
Crown Casino Melbourne Closing Times
Crown won't have licence suspended in Melbourne
Premier Daniel Andrews said the casino would not have its licence suspended in the wake of the money laundering admission but said the regulator would make further inquiries.
He also said the Government would closely examine the final report from NSW, due early next year.
'There is a sacred trust when it comes to these licences, and they need to be complied with,' Mr Andrews said.
The Opposition and the Greens have been critical of the VCGLR for not acting quick enough on Crown Casino.
Liberal leader Michael O'Brien said the commission was 'asleep at the wheel', while Greens MP Ellen Sandell said the Government must terminate Crown's licence.
Mr Andrews, who is former Gaming Minister, defended the work of the regulator.
'It is simply wrong in my judgement to say that they are waiting for others to do their job for them, nothing can be further from the truth.'
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- »Crown Plans to Reopen Melbourne Casino November 2020
(Image: VisitMelbourne.com)
Crown to Reopen Melbourne Casino
Crown Casino Melbourne Time Zone
Crown Resorts’ Melbourne casino is planning to reopen its doors on Thursday, November 12 after months of closure.
Vegas Slots Online reports that following the all-clear from health officials, the company will reopen its flagship casino while following strict public health advice.
Only VIP members will be permitted entry as the number of patrons allowed in the venue is capped at 100. The property has been closed since March 23, as Australian authorities tried to contain the virus. There were plans to reopen in July, but this did not eventuate after a second wave of the virus took hold, once again shelving plans for Crown’s reopening.
Lockdowns in Australia have been easing in recent weeks as the number of new virus cases comes down. This has paved the way for Crown’s reopening. Chief executive officer Ken Barton said the company had been working with the Victorian government and health authorities about how to safely reopen the casino.
Together, they developed extensive hygiene and physical distancing measures.
“We are pleased to be able to commence the process of welcoming back our employees and customers to Crown Melbourne,” Mr Barton said.
As part of the restrictions, only every second electronic table game and poker machine will be open for use. There can also only be up to 10 customers in a maximum of 10 designated VIP areas. All guests may only stay at the facility for up to 90 minutes and there will be a COVID Marshal at every gaming floor to ensure patrons comply with rules.
Crown Resorts has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in recent times. At the conclusion of a seven-week public hearing last week, the New South Wales Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority inquiry said that the casino company was not suitable to maintain a gaming licence in the state.
Some of the reasons mentioned include its links to organised crime, the allowance of money laundering, and putting its employees at risk on assignments in China. There were also concerns about the behaviour of former chief executive and significant shareholder James Packer.
Crown Resorts is planning to open its $2 billion casino and hotel complex in Sydney on December 14. With the inquiry not set to report its final findings until February, there is pressure to delay the opening.
The Victorian Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation is waiting for the NSW authorities to conclude its inquiry before fully investigating Crown’s Melbourne operations.
Victorian regulator slow to produce Crown report
Crown Resorts staff who were arrested and imprisoned in China for illegally promoting gambling activities weren’t interviewed by Victoria’s gambling regulator until years after the watchdog launched an investigation into their arrests.
The Guardian reported in early November that the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation’s annual report showed the progress the investigation had made, which is not yet complete, despite starting in 2017.
It is likely to further alarm critics of the regulator, who have derided it as a “toothless tiger” that is captured by Crown and “worse than useless.”
VCGLR staff only attempted to interview Crown staff who were arrested in China after serious allegations, including that organised crime was involved in junkets that bring high rollers to the group’s casinos, were aired by Nine Entertainment outlets in July 2019.
The regulator is responsible for oversight of Crown’s biggest casino, which an inquiry in NSW has heard included one junket, Suncity, allegedly linked to organised crime gangs. Nineteen Crown staff were arrested by Chinese authorities in 2016 and subsequently convicted of illegally promoting gambling.
One of the Crown employees, Jenny Jiang, was heavily featured on Nine’s TV current affairs show, 60 Minutes, and in the media groups’ newspaper coverage.