Inside Asian Gaming

IAG OCT 2022年10月 亞博匯 15 請登錄asgam.com訂閱《亞博匯早報》 Sign up to receive IAG Breakfast Briefing at asgam.com REPORT DEEMS THE STAR SYDNEY UNSUITABLE TO HOLD NSW CASINO LICENSE 報告建議星億集團不適格持有悉尼星億的賭牌 A REPORT into Australia’s Star Entertainment Group has recommended the company be found unsuitable to hold a NSW casino license for The Star Sydney, although it remains to be seen what regulatory action will be taken by the newly inaugurated NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC). According to the final report from Adam Bell SC following his recent review into The Star Pty Ltd, Star Entertainment Group and a number of its subsidiaries are “presently unsuitable to be concerned in or associated with the management and operation of a casino in NSW.” The report does not, however, offer any assessment of what, if any, changes would be required to render the group suitable if it was found to be unsuitable by the regulator. Nevertheless, the Bell Report details a wide range of reasons for finding The Star unsuitable – among them the illegal use of China UnionPay cards to fund gambling at The Star Sydney, Star’s dealing with Asian junket operator Suncity Group and the company’s response to independent audits of its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter terrorism financing (CTF) controls. In response, the NICC said it has issued The Star with a show cause notice and is considering its options for disciplinary action. “The report is, quite frankly, shocking,” said NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford. “It provides evidence of an extensive compliance breakdown in key areas of The Star’s business. “Not only were huge amounts of money disguised by the casino as hotel expenses, but vast sums of cash evaded anti-money laundering protocols in numerous situations, most alarmingly through Salon 95 – the secret room with a second cash cage. “We are in the process of taking stock of the report’s content. There are a range of implications across 30 recommendations that need to be worked through. Once we have given The Star the opportunity to respond to the notice, we will be in a position to determine an appropriate disciplinary approach.” 一份針對 澳洲星億集團的調查報告建議，該公司不適格持有位 於新州的悉尼星億（The Star Sydney ）的賭牌，不過新成立的 新州獨立賭場委員會 (NICC) 將會採取何種監管行動目前尚未可 知。 根據Adam Bell SC近期對The Star Pty Ltd 進行審查後做出 的最終報告，NICC公佈，星億集團及其部分子公司「目前不適 格參與新州賭場的經營管理工作」。 但該報告並未提到若監管機構亦認定該公司不適格，則該公 司須作出何種改變（如果有必要的話）以令其合資格。 不過，貝爾報告詳細地闡述了為何星億不適格的一系列原 因，其中包括早前在悉尼星億非法刷取中國銀聯卡套現作為賭 資，星億與亞洲博彩中介人太陽城集團之間的交易，以及該公司 對於反洗錢及反恐融資的獨立審計的回應。 NICC回應稱，已經向星億發佈一份通知要求解釋，並正考 慮懲戒措施。 NICC首席專員Philip Crawford表示：「這份報告令人震驚， 並為星億在業務關鍵領域存在大規模合規問題提供證據。」 「賭場不僅將巨額資金偽裝成酒店開支，並且大量現金在許 多情況下都逃避了反洗錢協議，最令人震驚的是通過Salon 95設 有另一個賬房的秘密房間。」 「我們正在評估報告的內容。需要解決的30項建議有著一系 列影響。一旦我們給予星億回應通知的機會，將能夠確定適當的 紀律處分方式。」