Inside Asian Gaming

IAG SEP 2019年9月 亞博匯 17 NSW REGULATOR ANNOUNCES INQUIRY INTO MELCO RESORTS’ ACQUISITION OF 19.99% STAKE IN CROWN 澳洲新南威爾士州監管機構宣佈對新濠 收購皇冠19.99%股權一事正式展開調查 THE NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority has announced that it will conduct an official inquiry into the proposed sale of shares in Crown Resorts from James Packer’s CPH Crown Holdings to Melco Resorts & Entertainment. The inquiry, to be conducted under the NSW Casino Control Act, follows recent reports by Australian media outlets alleging links between Crown and Asian crime syndicates and questioning the company’s relationship with junket operators. Melco revealed in late May that it had reached an agreement to acquire a 19.99% stake in Crown for a total consideration of AU$1.76 billion (HK$9.58 billion), but the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority says it will now inquire into the transaction and the matters raised in the media reports relating to Crown. In doing so, the Authority said it has already issued notices to “relevant Crown parties and other parties” compulsorily seeking documents and information that will assist in its investigations and be used in the inquiry. The inquiry aims to ensure that the management and operation of Crown’s under- construction AU$2.2 billion Crown Sydney casino, due for completion in 2021, remain free from criminal influence or exploitation and that gaming is conducted honestly, “controlling the potential … to cause harm to the public interest and to individuals and families.” Crown said in a statement that it would fully cooperate with the inquiry. 澳洲 新南威爾士州的「獨立酒業和博彩管理局」日前宣佈，將對James Packer擁有的CPH Crown Holdings公司將其所持皇冠度假酒店集團 股份出售予新濠博亞娛樂一事，正式展開調查。 此次調查將根據《新南威爾士州賭場管制法》（NSW Casino Con- trol Act）進行。此前有澳洲媒體曾報道指控皇冠與亞洲犯罪集團有關 聯，並質疑其與博彩中介人之間的關係。 新濠曾在五月底透露，雙方已達成協議並將以總金額17.6億澳元( 約95.8億港元)購入其所持有皇冠19.99%的股權。但「獨立酒業和博彩 管理局」於週四透露，其將對這筆交易及媒體報道中提及與皇冠有關的 事項展開調查。 管理局表示為此其已向「相關的皇冠當事人及其他當事方」發出通 知，要求他們必須協助調查，並提供調查所需的文件及資料。 該調查旨在確保皇冠耗資22億澳元、計劃於2021年建成的 Crown Sydney娛樂場之管理及營運不受刑事影響及誠實經營，「控制潛在 的……對公眾利益、個人及家庭可能造成的危害。」 皇冠隨後在一篇聲明中表示將全力配合調查。