The Victorian Government has confirmed that it will be handed the findings of a Royal Commission into the suitability of Crown Melbourne to retain its casino license today, however those findings won’t be made public until later in the month.
In a statement, Victoria’s government said Thursday it will closely consider the findings and recommendations of Royal Commissioner Ray Finkelstein before going public with the report and the government’s response before the end of October.
“An incredible amount of work has gone into the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator Licence and we thank Raymond Finkelstein for his report,” said Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Melissa Horne.
“We’ll consider the findings and recommendations from the Royal Commission in detail and take whatever action is necessary to strengthen casino oversight in Victoria and ensure this never happens again.”
The government also confirmed that work is already underway to set up a new Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, which will include a dedicated casino regulation division focused solely on oversight of Melbourne’s casino.
Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into Crown Melbourne, Adrian Finanzio SC, has asked the Commissioner to find Crown unsuitable to retain its casino license due to what he called systemic issues around money laundering controls, responsible gambling, tax payments and compliance.
In response, Crown has urged Royal Commissioner Finkelstein to refrain from handing casino operations to a new bidder, calling instead for an independent monitor to oversee its return to suitability.
