Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAY 2022年5月 亞博匯 28 COVER STORY payable for breaches of the Casino Control Act from AU$1 million (US$720,000) to AU$100 million (US$72 million). The VGCCC’s action against Crown, explains Green, highlights the dawn of a new reality for operators, who will now face heavy consequences for indiscretions rather than a mere slap on the wrist. “I’m expecting to see a lot more proactive work like this from regulators to make it clear they mean business,” he says. “The fine regime in Victoria is an interesting case in point in that it will give the regulators teeth that they haven’t had before – the ability to take action that will hurt. “So that’s part of it – increasing the size of the club – but also increasing the circumstances in which it can be wielded. There will be a lot more significant action taken than there has been in the past.” Despite such upheaval, the full gamut of industry-wide implications is not yet known given the conditions placed on Crown’s licenses and the fact that public hearings into The Star Sydney are ongoing. In both Melbourne and Perth, the Royal Commissions found Crown unsuitable to hold a license but provided a two-year window in which the casinos are permitted to continue operating under a Special Manager who has the power to oversee and exercise control over Crown’s affairs. Commissioner Ray Finkelstein, who ran Victoria’s Royal Commission, wrote in his final report that, “At the end of [the two-year] period, the 皇家調查委員會發現，皇冠集團設 計了一套「中國銀聯卡流程」來規避中 國的資金外流限制，並令資金從中國國 內非法轉移出境，最終幫助富有的中國 客戶在2012年至2016年期間轉移高達1.6 億澳元（1.22億美元）的資金。這些資 金被偽裝成招待費，但實際上被用於賭 博。 值得注意的是，在皇家委員會的 調查之後，維州新修訂的賭場法大大增 強了監管機構的處分權，包括將違反 Casino Control Act法案的最高罰金，從 100萬澳元（72萬美元）增加到1億澳元 （7200萬美元）。Green認為，VGCCC 博彩和賭場管控委員會對皇冠集團的舉 動，突顯出營運商將面臨的一個新的現 實，即從現在開始將會為不夠謹慎的行 為承擔嚴重後果，而不僅是挨一個巴掌 那種輕微的處罰。 他表示：「我預計監管機構將採取 更多類似的積極行動，以明確表示他們 是認真的。」 「維州的罰款制度就是一個例子。 這將賦予監管機構前所未有的權力，以 採取能帶來實質震懾行動的能力。 「增加行動能力是其中的一個部 分，這同時也增加了使用情境，這將會 出現比過去更多的重大行動。」 儘管發生如此重大的變動，但有鑒 針對皇冠（重新取得）牌照所設置條件