Australia

Crown Casino Denies Links to Organised Crime

Published

1 year ago

August 5, 2019

Niji Narayan

Crown Casino Denies Links to Organised Crime

Photo Source: gamblinglegislation.com

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A television documentary has made allegations linking Crown Casino to organised crime, money laundering and human trafficking.

The investigation into Crown Casino for the documentary was carried out by an Australian television Channel and two newspapers. The story was based on tens of thousands of documents apparently leaked from the company that owns casinos in the cities of Melbourne and Perth, and is planning another in Sydney.

The documentary alleged links between Crown and organised crime and claims the company turned a “blind eye” to money laundering and exploited weaknesses in Australia’s immigration processes to fly wealthy Chinese gamblers into the country without proper checks. There are also claims it had business links with an Australian brothel that has been investigated over human trafficking.

“I now know of three police officers — two currently serving — who have openly said to my staff that in Victoria, Crown is regarded as the Vatican, an independent sovereign state all to its own where the laws of Victoria, the laws of the Commonwealth (of Australia) do not apply,” Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said.

The state of Victoria has ordered the state’s gambling office to examine the claims against Crown Casino “as a matter of priority.” Experts have also demanded Australia’s anti-money laundering regulator AUSTRAC examine claims that criminals have passed money through Crown Casino.

The company has strongly denied the allegations. In a series of newspaper advertisements, the company said it wanted to set the “record straight in the face of a deceitful campaign against Crown.” Crown Casino accused the TV documentary of unfairly attempting to damage its reputation. It also said it takes its regulatory obligations very seriously.

Australia

Tabcorp Revenue Declines 5.7% During Three Months to September 2020

Published

6 hours ago

October 22, 2020

Niji Narayan

Tabcorp Revenue Declines 5.7% During Three Months to September 2020

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Australia’s Tabcorp has reported a 5.7% decline in revenue for the three months to September 2020.

The trading update formed part of an investor presentation at the company’s AGM, with Managing Director and CEO David Attenborough revealing the slight 5.7% decline was mainly felt in its Gaming Services segment which fell 55.2% on the closure of licensed venues. Lotteries and Keno revenue was down 6.9% year-on-year with Wagering and Media down 2.9%.

“The duration and severity of COVID-19 is unclear, however Tabcorp remains well placed with our resilient, diversified earnings base and strengthened balance sheet,” Attenborough said.

Australia

AUSTRAC Launches Formal Investigation into Crown Melbourne Over AML Concerns

Published

2 days ago

October 20, 2020

Niji Narayan

AUSTRAC Launches Formal Investigation into Crown Melbourne Over AML Concerns

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AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial crime watchdog, has launched a formal investigation into potential infringements of the country’s anti-money laundering laws by Crown Resorts.

In a Monday morning filing with the Australian Securities Exchange, Crown revealed that it had been informed of the investigation by AUSTRAC after the authority’s Regulatory Operations branch identified potential non-compliance by Crown Melbourne of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Rules 2007.

The potential non-compliance relates to “ongoing customer due diligence, and adopting, maintain and complying with an anti-money laundering/counter terrorism financing program,” Crown said.

It added that the concerns were identified “in the course of a compliance assessment that commenced in September 2019 and focused on Crown Melbourne’s management of customers identified as high risk and politically exposed persons.”

Australia

ACMA Moves to Block Two More Illegal Gambling Websites

Published

1 week ago

October 15, 2020

Niji Narayan

ACMA Moves to Block Two More Illegal Gambling Websites

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is set to request the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block two more illegal offshore gambling websites.

The sites to be blocked are Dinkum Pokies and Fortune Clock Casino. Following numerous complaints about these services, including complaints about withholding winnings and poor player treatment, ACMA undertook investigations that found them to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 150 illegal gambling websites have been blocked.