Crown Resorts Proposes Test Period for Sydney Casino Amidst Scrutiny

Attorneys for ‘Crown Resorts’ have asserted that a “test period” is the optimal method to demonstrate the company’s suitability to retain its license for the new Sydney gaming establishment. This follows a recommendation from the New South Wales Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) to postpone the casino’s inauguration.

The AU$2.2 billion facility was slated to commence operations on December 14 in Barangaroo, but the ILGA proposed a later opening, contingent upon the outcomes of an ongoing investigation. Commissioner Patricia Bergin is expected to submit her conclusive report in February 2021.

Crown Resorts is presently facing heightened examination for purported financial improprieties at its Melbourne and Perth venues, including allegations of the company’s affiliations with high-roller organizers connected to illicit enterprises. Four years prior, Chinese officials found several Crown personnel culpable of unlawfully promoting wagering activities.

Nevertheless, Neil Young QC, representing Crown, informed the inquiry that rather than deferring the launch, the new casino should function under the meticulous observation of the ILGA. He contended that Crown could manage the establishment with a restructured executive body, a comprehensive organizational ethos evaluation, and enhanced anti-money laundering protocols.

Young further suggested that the ILGA could station overseers within the casino and Crown could furnish the regulatory body with daily status updates.

Yang clarified that regulatory bodies favor “in-person inspections” to gain a comprehensive understanding of the numerous elements involved. Certain matters are best tackled within the framework of a casino’s operational procedures, which can only be truly grasped through meticulous observation and examination of those activities.