The special manager of Crown Resorts issued his third six-month report saying that the way the Australian gambling giant handles complaints needed significant improvement. The latest report of the special manager appointed by the Andrews Government to oversee the operator’s Crown Melbourne Casino comes at a time when the company is trying to prove that it is fit to hold a casino licence in the state of Victoria.
As reported by Casino Guardian at the time, Stephen O’Bryan KC was appointed to oversee the Melbourne casino of the company after Victoria’s Royal Commission published its damning report findings following a thorough investigation into the company’s operations. Since then Mr O’Bryan KC is supposed to test the reform program of Crown Resorts, after some previous violations of the gambling giant, including participation in money laundering and links to organised crime.
In his latest report, the special manager of Crown Melbourne noted that Crown Resorts’ approach to handling complaints was one of the areas that needed considerable improvement. According to him, the casino company has to make sure that any concerns raised by customers or any members of the public are properly recorded, addressed and responded to.
Crown Melbourne’s special manager also shared that the Australian gambling giant should make further efforts to handle systems, policies and practices associated with handling public complaints.
Crown Resorts Facing Tough Regulatory Penalties over Money Laundering Criminal Organisation Links
Only a week ago, Federal Court judge Michael Lee questioned Crown Resorts’ remorse over a large number of historic breaches of anti-money laundering laws when ruling on an AU$450-million fine imposed on the company by the country’s financial crimes regulatory body.
Crown Resorts has paid AU$350,000 to the commonwealth after it was found to have underpaid hundreds of staff members a total of AU$1.2 million in the six years to June 2020. The Australian gambling giant has fully remediated over AU$1.2 million, including superannuation, plus an additional 10% of gratuity payment and interest, to a total of 192 former and current employees.
The special manager’s office has been also monitoring the implementation of key aspects of the broader integrity framework of Crown Resorts, which focuses on the gambling operator’s code of conduct, anti-bribery and corruption measures, whistleblower regime, and the systems aimed at handling public complaints.
Mr O’Bryan confirmed that Crown Resorts has managed to enhance its governance framework for handling so-called whistleblower disclosures. The company has also appointed a Whistleblower Protection Officer in an effort to make employees more confident when raising their concerns. He further noted that the Australian casino and gambling giant must reinforce its code of conduct and related procedures and policies through active leadership on one hand, and employee training and education, on the other hand. It also has to be consistent with the values and ethical standards that are commonly expected of a licensed casino operator.
So far, the Special Manager of Crown Melbourne has completed three six-month reports into the operator’s reform program. He is expected to submit his final assessment in January 2024, which is set to play a major role in the decision of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission on the suitability of Crown Resorts to hold a casino licence in the state of Victoria.
- Author
Olivia Cole
