The claims aired by Mr Andrew Wilkie on 24 April 2018 will be considered by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR).
Following a number of media reports in relation to these claims, the VCGLR seeks to clarify the operation and purpose of the Sixth Casino Review.
The review is a legislated requirement to assess the suitability of Crown Melbourne Limited (Crown), to determine whether it is complying with relevant legislative and regulatory obligations, and analyse the credibility, integrity and stability of its casino operations.
It is not the purpose of the review to determine whether to extend Crown's licence.
It is also not a review about whether there should be a casino at all in Victoria.
Crown holds the only casino licence granted under the Casino Control Act 1991 and operates a casino at Southbank, trading as Crown Melbourne. The licence expires in 2050.
In undertaking the review, the VCGLR considers four factors:
(a) the casino operator’s general suitability;
(b) the casino operator’s compliance with three specified gambling statutes (the Casino Control Act, the Casino (Management Agreement Act) and the Gambling Regulation Act);
(c) whether the casino operator’s compliant with the Management Agreement and other Transaction Documents; and
(d) whether it is in the public interest, having regard to the creation and maintenance of public confidence and trust in the credibility, integrity and stability of casino operations, for Crown Melbourne Limited’s casino licence to continue.