Despite all investigation and regulatory hurdles, Crown Resorts will be able to open its non-gaming operations at its Barangaroo casino in Sydney in less than two weeks. This has become possible after the Australian gambling giant received an interim liquor licence from the authorities of New South Wales (NSW).
On December 16th, the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) revealed that it had given an interim liquor licence to the hotel, bars and some restaurants which are part of Crown Sydney. The move comes only a few weeks after the NSW gambling regulator announced that it was to wait until the findings of the ongoing probe into the gambling company’s fitness to hold a casino operating licence are unveiled in February before making a decision on whether to impose stricter regulatory measures on the casino’s gaming activities.
The middle of the week saw Philip Crawford, the Chairman of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority, revealed that the regulator was also considering two more licences for other non-gambling services offered in the venue. The decision is set to be made within the week.
Mr Crawford also shared that in November, ILGA decided not to approve a range of regulatory items associated with the casino’s gambling services before the findings of the ongoing inquiry into the company’s operations are released in February 2021. He explained that the local regulator agreed to collaborate with Crown Resorts in order to make it possible for the gambling operator to actually start offering its non-gambling services in the Barangaroo venue.
ILGA Granted Interim Liquor Licence to Crown until April 30th, 2021
Still, the ILGA’s chairman said that the regulatory authority’s position on the gambling operations of Crown Resorts had remained unchanged. He further revealed that the newly-issued interim liquor licence would apply only until April 30th, 2021.
This will provide the local gambling watchdog with a chance to take into consideration any suitability concerns arising from the inquiry after the report is tabled early in 2021 before it makes any more decisions on the possible extension of the interim liquor licence.
After the ILGA announced its decision, Crown Resorts made a statement, revealing that it was finalising the pre-opening activities at the Barangaroo venue and expected to start running the Crown Sydney’s non-gambling operations as of December 28th, 2020.
The Australian gambling giant’s suitability to hold a Sydney gambling licence has been investigated by the former judge Patricia Bergin after the company faced allegations that it had ignored signs of ongoing money laundering activity within its casinos due to its connections with junket operators. Last month, the counsel assisting the inquiry, Adam Bell SC, suggested that Crown Resorts and its major shareholder, Mr James Packer, should be found unfit to hold the new Barangaroo casino project.
Previously, Crown Resorts had indicated that it would continue to pursue the opening and operation of at least some part of the Barangaroo complex in December even though no final findings of the probe have been announced yet. However, the Australian gambling company confessed there had been money laundering at its Melbourne and Perth casinos although it had dealt only with junket operators that had been approved by local regulatory bodies.
- Author
Olivia Cole
