Crown Melbourne Casino Slapped with $1 Million Fine for Junket Compliance Failures

Crown Resorts’ premier gaming establishment in Melbourne, Australia, Crown Melbourne Casino, has been issued a substantial $1 million AUD penalty by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC). The fine stems from the casino’s inability to maintain compliance with regulations governing junket activities.

The VGCCC determined that the due diligence procedures employed by Crown for these junket operators – essentially organizers of high-roller gambling trips – were inadequate to ensure their continued suitability and ethical standing. The inquiry uncovered deficient record-keeping practices concerning decisions made about junket operators, and it appears these choices were not always reached by personnel possessing a thorough grasp of Crown’s regulatory responsibilities.

This incident is not the first time Crown has encountered disciplinary measures; however, it represents the initial occasion in which the VGCCC has levied its maximum $1 million AUD fine against the enterprise. The VGCCC Chairman underscored the gravity of Crown’s lapse in upholding stringent and compliant procedures, particularly considering this is not their inaugural transgression. Until Crown can provide evidence of substantial enhancements to its protocols, it is barred from participating in any further junket operations at its Melbourne gaming venue.

Decisive measures are required to safeguard Crown Melbourne from illicit endeavors. These stringent rules are backed by the full weight of legal authority, and Crown has transgressed these regulations numerous times,” declared the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission in their findings.

Helen Coonan, Crown’s Executive Chair, emphasized the company’s dedication to transformation. “Crown is collaborating with the Victorian Gambling and Liquor Regulatory Commission (VCGLR) and the Victorian Government on our reformation strategy. These overhauls and operational adjustments aim to attain the utmost benchmarks of governance and conformity and regain the confidence of the public and our regulatory bodies.”

Within their extensive reformation blueprint, Crown has already dissolved relationships with all high-roller tour organizers.