In spite of the fact that the gambling regulator of the state of Victoria has been strongly criticised over its inaction in terms of Crown Resorts casino in Melbourne, the allegations against the brand are unlikely to lead to a federal parliamentary inquiry.
It seems that both the Australian Government and the opposition have been turning a blind eye to the issue, pretending it was unimportant, so the push for a Senate probe after the scandalous claims may not be effective.
Crown Resorts Faces Serious Allegations
A couple a days ago, Crown Resorts which is currently one of the largest casino operators on the territory of Australia, was accused of misconducting its Melbourne-based casino and deliberately hiding potential money laundering as well as tampering with poker machines. Andrew Wilkie, a Member of Parliament who has been part of the campaigns against slot machines, provided the country’s Parliament with videoed statements of three former employees of the company, with the three of them saying that the brands has misconducted its casino in Melbourne.
Apart from concealing possible money laundering practices at its biggest casino, the videos also included claims that local financial disclosure laws were breached by Crown Resorts, and that the brand had failed to report incidents of domestic violence and drug taking in which gamblers are involved. In addition, the ex employees of the company also accused the latter in interfering with poker machines so that the latter were tampered in a way that would make sure players lost more money on them.
Crown Resorts, of course, has renounced all allegations.
Does VCGLR Deliberately Conceal Crown’s Illegal Practices?
At the time when the allegations were made, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) revealed its intentions to investigate the accusations against the company as part of gambling license’s review of the Melbourne casino venue of the brand. Now, however, with both the country’s Government and the opposition keeping their eyes shut on the problem, certain questions emerge.
At the time when the three former employees of Crown raised a red flag about some illegal practices, they have also said that the state regulatory body has been covering up the criminal behaviour of the Australian gambling operator. According to the three individuals who reported their former employer’s misconduct, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation has been assisting Crown to commit the illegal practices.
Earlier in 2017, the Auditor-General of Victoria state strongly criticised the Commission for not paying enough attention to Crown’s illegal practices related to money laundering and customers’ problem gambling behaviour.
Things have gotten even more serious after some figures revealed yesterday showed that the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation missed its inspection targets in 2016. Last year, the regulatory body carried out a total of 9,472 liquor and gambling inspections, with a 25% decrease registered in their number. In addition, the annual report of the VCGLR also showed that local gamblers lost a massive amount of $1.5 billion at Crown Resorts casino – an amount that represents over one quarter of the total gambling losses in the state of Victoria, including sports betting and lottery operations.
- Author
Olivia Cole
