Australia: NSW Govt. weighs adding 1000 poker machines into Sydney's Star casino

More than $2.2 billion was lost to pokies in NSW pubs in the first 4 months of this year, with almost $600 million collected by poker machines in April alone, up 12.58 per cent on April 2019.

2021-08-13

Australia

Reading time 1:43 min

The debate is taking place on Monday. The decision came after Commissioner Bergin's inquiry found evidence of money laundering through Crown's Melbourne and Perth casinos. Sydney's Star casino can be closely regulated in comparison to smaller venues in the area, with poker machines scattered across 4000 venues in NSW.

NSW cabinet announced Thursday that it will consider allowing a proposal to allow an extra 1000 poker machines into Sydney’s Star casino, with licences to be transferred from poor performing pokies in the regional area of the state.

The debate is taking place on Monday 16, and will look on the possibility of transferring 1000 under-used gaming machine licenses from clubs in regional NSW to the city’s casino, a month after a damaging report into the gaming industry, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The major issue for the industry is money laundering, after the Bergin inquiry found evidence dirty money had been washed through Crown’s Melbourne and Perth casinos. Its gaming licence was later withheld at Barangaroo after a year-long investigation by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA).

This information was confirmed by Commissioner Bergin, who said Crown had “facilitated money laundering” through its bank accounts, after a 2019 investigation carried out by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes. The Chair of the NSW regulator Philip Crawford later warned money laundering was also occurring in NSW.

The NSW government is likely to support the transfer of poker machines licences to the Star because, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, given the casino has a better regulation than other smaller venues in the area. Poker machines are scattered across 4000 venues in NSW, with only 1500 of the total 96,000 machines currently in the Star casino in Prymont.

More than $2.2 billion was lost to pokies in NSW pubs in the first 4 months of this year, with almost $600 million collected by poker machines in April alone, up 12.58 per cent on April 2019.

Commissioner Bergin’s report said a gambling card would come in handy to combat money laundering and organized crime.

Victor Dominello, the minister responsible for gaming, has been advocating for a gaming card to combat problem gambling and money laundering. The first digital wallet program, led by Aristocrat Gaming and Wests Newcastle, will be trialled this month. The trial will last 12 weeks, and will trigger cashless payments for electronic gaming machines with features such as time and spending limits.