Crown Resorts, the largest owner and operator of land-based casinos in Australia, has been given a fine of 80 million Australian dollars from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.
The decision to impose the fine on the casino operator was taken after an investigation conducted by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission found that Crown Melbourne allowed some of its customers to use China UnionPay cards to gamble between 2012 and 2016.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission estimated that the illegal conduct gave Crown Resorts revenue of around 32 million dollars. Crown Melbourne did admit that what they had done between 2012 and 2016 was “completely unacceptable” and also declared that they expected to receive a fine from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.
This is the first time that the Commission has made use of its stronger powers granted to it by the latest amendments to the Casino Control Act. Now the Commission can impose fines of up to 100 million dollars, quite an increase from the maximum of 1 million that was available before the legislative modifications.
In response to the fine of 80 million Australian dollars, Crown Resorts issued a statement in which it acknowledged “its historic failings” and insisted that the China UnionPay process ended in 2016.