An independent report by QC Ian Freckelton has cleared the Victorian gambling regulator of any wrongdoing or corruption in relation to the Crown Resorts’ AML failings.
The four corners report which saw Crown Resorts dragged through the mud through various royal commissions and investigations had asked the question of whether the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) had failed in its role of regulating Crown Melbourne.
Five whistleblowers told Four Corners that their concerns and suspicions about illegal activity were ignored by their superiors and that Crown Casino was “running the regulator”. However, Freckleton said there was no evidence that Crown Casino exercised undue influence and/or control over the activities of the VCGLR inspectors at the casino.”
He also said there was no evidence that inspectors were actively blocked from looking at money laundering at Crown Casino by VCGLR management.
In his report, Dr. Freckleton said there was a need for better processes for sharing information with police, and also recommended more inspectors to be rostered on to scrutinize the casino.
Freckleton also recommended the abolishment of junkets to attract high rollers to casinos.
“The inherent and inescapable vulnerabilities of the junket system have the consequence that gambling junkets in substance, as well as in name, need to be abolished by legislation,’’ he said.
