DICJ will meet with Crown

Macau gambling authority accepted Crown’s request of negotiation.

Macau.- Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau, DICJ, has accepted a reunion with major representatives of Crown Resorts to solve the situation of the 18 workers who have been arrested this week in China. Members of the DFAT, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, acceded to visit two of the detained Australians, according to Crown Resorts chairman Robert Rankin.

Since the arrest, Macau casinos are in alert and the economic profitability has declined. However, Crown Resorts’ priority these days is to resolve the situation of the Macau’s arrested team. A senior executive and three Australian citizens are among the 18 employees. It’s believed Chinese police are preparing to charge the employees with organising gambling activities for mainland nationals overseas, but the information is not complete yet.

TDM News revealed yesterday that DICJ accepted a meeting with Crown Resorts, which will be held between its six gaming concessionaires. “The gaming watchdog has demanded a meeting with the six gaming concessionaires, many times have we reminded them that any commercial activity or behaviour has to be carried out strictly in line with local laws, in Macau or elsewhere,” commented the Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong.

Leong also warned the rest of casino operators in Macau that the government is taking gambling activities seriously and looking cautiously at this case. Meanwhile, Crown Resorts chairman responded that the company was working closely with consular officials and its legal team in China to “obtain more information, understand the reasons for the detention and ultimately resolve the situation”. “We are subject to (China’s) legal system. We accept their jurisdiction and respect their laws. However at this time there have been no formal charges laid against any of our staff and the investigation continues and they are of course entitled to a presumption of innocence,” he added.