Crown rejects allegations of criminal misconduct

Tuesday 17th of October 2017

Casino operator Crown Resorts has been accused of engaging in criminal misconduct in relation to its alleged tampering of slot machines, local media reports.

In video evidence tabled in parliament by independent MP Andrew Wilkie, it is alleged that Crown Casino had deliberately tampered with slot machines to disable “lower debt options” and had the buttons modified or “shaved down” to allow prohibited autoplay.

The MP also alleges that Crown had tolerated methods to avoid money laundering laws as well as turning a blind-eye to domestic violence and drug use in the facility.

“Regrettably the alleged misconduct at Crown is not limited to poker machines, indeed the whistleblowers also allege that the casino avoids Austrac scrutiny of individuals involved in transactions over $10,000, by sometimes tolerating and even encouraging the misuse of identity documents,” said Wilkie.

“If these allegations are true, then Crown would be facilitating money laundering for any number of nefarious reasons, like tax fraud, drug running and even terrorism,” said Wilkie on Wednesday.

Crown has since rejected the allegations made by MP Wilkie and has called upon the MP to “immediately provide to the relevant authorities all information relating to the matters alleged.”

The Tasmanian MP also made allegations against the Victorian Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), claiming that the regulator did nothing to stop the “shocking criminal misconduct”, and in some cases, had a hand in “covering it up”.

Wilkie has demanded a parliamentary inquiry and an investigation by the relevant authorities into the allegations.

Crown shares traded at 4.34 percent lower at A$11.28 as at 4:10 p.m. Sydney time.

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