Crown Melbourne slapped with $1m fine

Crown Melbourne has been slapped with the maximum penalty available to Victoria’s gaming regulator in the wake of its money laundering scandal.

Crown Melbourne has been slapped with a $1m fine for its junket casino operations failing to comply with regulations.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) fined the casino giant after it was revealed by a separate NSW inquiry that Crown turned a blind eye to money laundering being conducted through junket tour operators.

“The commission has determined that Crown failed to comply with its regulatory obligations during relevant periods, namely, obligations that required Crown to implement a robust process to consider the ongoing probity of junket entities,” the VCGLR said in a statement on Tuesday.

Junkets have been used by casinos to lure high roller gamblers from overseas and particularly target Chinese tourists.

It has also been revealed junkets have known links to organised crime in Asia.

VCGLR chairman Ross Kennedy said it was the first time the gaming body had fined Crown the maximum penalty under the state’s casino laws.

“That fine reflects the seriousness of this matter, and the fact that Crown’s failure to implement a robust process occurred over an extended period,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Robust processes must be implemented to ensure that Crown’s Melbourne casino remains free from criminal influence and exploitation.

“These are strict and legislated regulatory requirements, and this is an area where Crown has repeatedly failed.”