Crown Melbourne Casino received a substantial penalty of $1 million, approximately $724,000 USD, for disregarding regulations related to gaming representatives.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, or VCGLR, issued the sanction following multiple cautions to the casino, under the ownership of Crown Resorts. The problem stemmed from Crown’s ongoing association with a gaming facilitator identified as “Mr. A” and his colleague, “Ms. B,” despite the VCGLR deeming Mr. A unfit.
Mr. A’s difficulties originated in December 2014 with his conviction for gaming-related offenses in the United States. The VCGLR directed Crown to cease all contact with him. However, Crown commenced collaboration with Ms. B, Mr. A’s personal aide, in mid-2015. By October of that year, Ms. B was managing her initial high-roller group at the casino.
Crown’s involvement with this group escalated in January 2016 when it extended a $20 million credit facility to Ms. B for her high-roller operation. This credit line was supported by “Mr. C,” a business partner of Mr. A, who was also facing legal challenges in the US at the time.
The VCGLR’s announcement emphasized Crown’s inability to disengage from Mr. A and its insufficient background checks on Ms. B as the principal justifications for the fine. Furthermore, Crown failed to notify the regulatory body about its interactions with Ms. B. This absence of openness prompted the VCGLR to levy the highest possible penalty.
The levied sanction underscores the seriousness of the matter, especially Crown’s inability to promptly disassociate from unsuitable gaming partners as instructed by the regulatory body, remarked Ross Kennedy, head of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC). The VGCCC anticipates its licensed entities to be vigilant in adhering to regulatory standards and will take decisive measures against those who disregard or breach its mandates. This recent financial penalty follows a prior AU$1 million sanction given to Crown Melbourne in April for comparable misconduct, leading the Victorian Government to enact the Casino and Gambling Legislation Amendment Act 2021, which augmented maximum penalties and forbade collaborations with junket enterprises.