Paul Evans, the lawyer for Western Australia\u2019s gambling regulator, has told the state’s Royal Commission it could cancel Crown Perth’s casino licence before the end of the inquiry if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Australia.-\u00a0Western Australia\u2019s Gaming and Wagering Commission<\/strong>\u00a0(GWC) is\u00a0ready to cancel Crown Perth’s casino licence<\/strong>\u00a0before the end of the ongoing Royal Commission if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul Evans, GWC’s lawyer, said that although the\u00a0Western Australian Royal Commission<\/a>\u00a0into\u00a0Crown Perth will continue until March 2022<\/strong>, the gaming regulator may call on Racing and Gaming Minister Reece Whitby to cancel Crown’s licence before the ending of the inquiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to ABC, Evans said: “The GWC will not necessarily await these conclusions <\/strong>if matters disclosed give rise to a need to take action immediately.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first week of July, the Royal Commission called on former and current\u00a0Crown Resorts<\/a>\u00a0employees, government employees and the public in general to provide information about improper conduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The topics on which the Commission wants information are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The WA Royal Commission is also investigating Crown Perth’s link with\u00a0the arrest of 19 Crown employees in China<\/strong>\u00a0in 2016, Crown’s changes following the\u00a0Bergin inquiry<\/a>\u00a0and how the casino operator handled problem gambling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the next public hearings,\u00a0Crown Resorts’ executive chairman<\/strong>\u00a0Helen Coonan<\/a>, Crown Perth board member Maryna Fewster and property\u2019s CEO\u00a0<\/strong>Lonnie Bossi will be called to give evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Former WA Supreme Court judge Neville Owen<\/strong>, one of the three commissioners running the Royal Commission, has personal interests with some of the witnesses dismissed a conflict of interests<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Adrian Finanzio<\/strong>, the counsel assisting Victoria\u2019s Royal Commission into\u00a0Crown Resorts<\/a>, has told the inquiry that\u00a0the casino operator should lose its licence<\/strong>\u00a0for Crown Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finanzio argued that the evidence against Crown Melbourne during the inquiry showed \u201cserious misconduct, illegal conduct and highly inappropriate conduct<\/strong>, which has been encouraged or facilitated by a culture which has consistently put profit before all other considerations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said\u00a0the company had put profits above legislative requirements\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<\/strong>could owe the state AU$480m (US$351.4m) in unpaid taxes. Crown CEO\u00a0Steve McCann<\/a>\u00a0has suggested that the\u00a0tax underpayment<\/a>\u00a0stood at around AU$8m, but the figure could be significantly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kanaga Dharmananda<\/strong>, Crown’s lawyer, has said that the company has made significant improvements<\/strong>\u00a0following the Bergin Inquiry in order to detect deficiencies related to money laundering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May, the company announced that its casino venues were going to switch to cashless operations<\/strong> to help tackle money laundering<\/a>. It also announced it was going to stop working with junket operators<\/strong> as a way to make its operations more transparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crown Resorts also made changes to its board following the departure of five former Crown directors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few weeks ago,\u00a0another Crown lawyer<\/a>,\u00a0Leon Zwier<\/strong>, wrote a letter to the\u00a0Victorian gaming minister Melissa Horne<\/strong>\u00a0warning that 12,000 jobs would be at risk if Crown is unable to retain its gaming licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zwier wrote: \u201cThis will impact Crown\u2019s shareholders, employees, unions, trade creditors, patrons, the hotel precinct, and the Melbourne tourism industry<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Former Federal Court judge Raymond Finkelstein<\/strong>, who\u2019s leading the Victoria\u2019s Royal Commission<\/a>, said the letter made it seem Crown Resorts wanted to \u201cmake sure that the commission doesn\u2019t make a particular finding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nCrown’s lawyer claims significant changes made<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n