Crown Resorts faces new casino inquiry in WA

Crown says it will cooperate with a WA inquiry into its Perth casino licence, as the fallout from a Sydney probe widens.

The fresh investigation into Crown followed legal advice from the WA State Solicitor’s Office. Picture: Penny Stephens

Western Australia will hold its own inquiry into whether Crown Resorts remains a suitable operator of the Perth casino, as the fallout from the Bergin inquiry continues to widen.

WA’s Gaming and Wagering Commission on Tuesday night said the inquiry — which would have the powers of a royal commission — would also investigate the suitability of “close associates” of the casino.

“The GWC would like to commend the work of Patricia Bergin SC and her team on what was an extensive and thorough investigation into the appropriateness of Crown attaining a restricted gaming licence in NSW and the ongoing governance of Crown casinos across two jurisdictions,” the Gaming and Wagering Commission said in a statement.

“The GWC acknowledges the seriousness of the findings and has been working co-operatively with the Bergin inquiry since it came to light.”

Resorts said on Wednesday it will “fully co-operate” with any inquiry into the company’s suitability established in West Australia.

“Crown will fully co-operate in relation to this inquiry and will continue to engage with the WA Commission in relation to its reform agenda and any further remedial steps identified in response to the NSW ILGA Inquiry,” the company said in a release to the ASX.

Crown executive chairman Helen Coonan said the company would extend the same co-operative approach to all regulators.

“Crown is determined to play a constructive role with all of its regulators as it works to restore public and regulatory confidence in its operations,” she said.

NSW’s Bergin inquiry, which deemed that Crown was not suitable to operate a casino licence in NSW, identified instances of ­alleged money laundering through Crown’s WA operations. Those findings, and whether Crown is suitable to hold the Perth casino licence, will now be tested under the WA inquiry.

The fresh investigation into Crown followed legal advice from the WA State Solicitor’s Office that the commission could not rely on the Bergin ­inquiry alone to make findings over Crown and its Perth licence.

But the commission said it was moving to formally ban so-called “junket operators” — the groups, often with underworld associations, that organise funding for and visits by Chinese gamblers — from Crown Perth by next week.

It noted, however, that there had not been a junket from mainland China to Perth since November 2016. The last junket from Hong Kong was in August 2019, while the last Macau junket arrived last March just before international borders closed.

The regulator has also set out to establish a working group with counterparts in NSW and Victoria — the other two states with Crown casinos — to establish “consistent best practice” across the three states.

The proposed inquiry will also investigate the GWC itself and the broader Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, and any perceived conflicts of interest.

That audit is due to be finalised later this month.

Earlier on Tuesday, Premier Mark McGowan said the government would assess all options for Crown, including a potential tender of the Perth casino ­licence. But he also warned caretaker restrictions in place ahead of WA’s March 13 election meant it was likely the next government would need to decide what Crown’s alleged breaches should mean for the Perth casino.