Crown Perth’s RSG had no input on pokies purchases, inquiry hears

James Sullivan, gaming product manager, has said the company’s responsible service of gaming (RSG) team had no input on purchasing decisions.

Australia.- Western Australia’s Royal Commission has heard that Crown Perth’s RSG team wasn’t aware of poker machine purchases, nor of monthly data highlighting the top spenders on electronic gaming machines.

James Sullivan, gaming product manager, said this information was only transferred to the gaming machine department of Crown Perth.

According to Perth Now, Sullivan was asked if he thought the RSG team should have been informed on which customers were spending the most money in the casino to make sure that they were not suffering from gambling-related harm.

Sullivan answered that he wasn’t sure but admitted that data might have been of interest. He was also asked if he consulted the RSG team regarding the purchase of poker machines. He said that the RSG team wasn’t involved in purchasing decisions.

According to current laws, Crown Perth is the only venue allowed to operate the so-called pokies in the state of Western Australia. 

Crown Perth provided credit for gambling

The inquiry has heard that Crown Perth approved credit for Australian and international gamblers despite this being prohibited under WA laws.

It also emerged that Simon Pan, a brothel owner who was being investigated for human trafficking, was able enter Crown Perth 29 times after being banned from Crown Melbourne. Lonnie Bossi, Crown Perth chief executive, said information between the two casinos could not be shared until recently.

Bossi is also being investigated as he was a signatory on the Riverbank bank account that, according to the Bergin inquiry, was linked to money laundering.

Crown Perth could lose casino licence before the end of the Royal Commission

Paul Evans, GWC’s lawyer, said that although the Western Australian Royal Commission into Crown Perth will continue until March 2022, the gaming regulator may call on Racing and Gaming Minister Reece Whitby to cancel Crown’s licence before the ending of the inquiry.

Evans said: “The GWC will not necessarily await these conclusions if matters disclosed give rise to a need to take action immediately.”

The WA Royal Commission was expected to deliver a final report by November 14 but Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said: “The state government believes that public interest will be best served if the Perth casino Royal Commission has sufficient time to produce its final report.”