Crown Resorts has been slammed for a culture of secrecy, after alleged links to criminals hit turnover in its VIP business, which plunged by 46 per cent in the first months of the financial year.

The Crown board deflected and denied any alleged links between criminal organisations and the junket operators who bring out wealthy Asian gamblers to Crown’s Australian casinos at their annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, but investors still delivered a significant protest vote.