The return to suitability for Crown Sydney comes just weeks after the Victorian gambling regulator announced Crown’s Melbourne casino had returned to suitability to hold the state’s only casino licence.
The move comes after the Bergin inquiry in NSW found Crown unsuitable to hold a casino licence in the state. The inquiry report was released in February 2021 and resulted in Crown operating its just-built complex in Barangaroo for more than 18 months without gaming floors.
The inquiry became the first of similar investigations in other states where Crown operates casinos.
However, today, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) announced that Crown Sydney was now suitable to hold a gaming licence “after nearly three years of intensive remediation”, according to its media statement.
“The NICC is confident the Crown we deemed suitable today has a strong model to keep operating into the future,” said the NICC chief commissioner, Philip Crawford.
“Hard work and transformation aside, the NICC has not forgotten the level of misconduct exposed in 2021 when Crown was found unsuitable.
“Crown Sydney has ongoing work to reach steady state and it must continue to lift standards and maintain its cultural transformation.
“There is and will always be room for improvement, but Crown is a changed business that is looking toward the future.
“Likewise, the NICC is a changed regulator with enhanced powers, a singular focus on casinos and a mandate to address the risks of harm.
“This decision is a positive outcome for Crown Sydney, its staff, and the community – who can be sure the NICC will use all of its powers to keep the casino in check,” he said.
Crown says it has spent $200 million on its transformation to reach suitability.
“Since opening the Crown Sydney casino in August 2022, we have worked tirelessly to implement wholesale reform across our business, delivering 432 remediation activities to the NICC across key areas, including harm minimisation, financial crime, compliance, risk and culture,” said Crown Sydney’s CEO, Mark McWhinnie.
“The NICC’s decision today recognises the genuine and sustainable changes we’ve made and our ongoing commitment to operating at the highest industry standards.”
CEO of Crown Resorts, Ciarán Carruthers, said Crown had been “rebuilt from the inside out” with new ownership under Blackstone as well as new leadership, management and boards.
“We’ve spent the past two years pioneering a monumental transformation unlike anything seen before in corporate Australia,” said Carruthers.
“We remain committed to Crown’s ongoing cultural transformation, compliance and ensuring that we are the safest gambling venue in Australia while providing a fun and entertaining environment for our guests.
“We must continue to build and maintain trust and respect while showing that success and commercial viability go hand in hand with trust, care and integrity.”
The Crown Sydney complex includes plenty for the business events sector, from Crown’s ultra-luxury hotel to its event space – the Pearl Ballroom can seat 280 attendees cabaret style and 390 in theatre – and acclaimed restaurants, some of which have private dining rooms and many of which can be hired exclusively for events.
