The NSW government inquiry has examined footage leaked to MP Andrew Wilkie showing large amounts of cash being exchanged in one of Crown Melbourne's private gaming rooms.
Victoria's then-gaming minister,Marlene Kairouz – who quit theministry in June in the wake of the Labour branch stacking scandal – said the gambling regulator would examine the issues"as a matter of priority",consult with Victoria Police and federal law enforcement agencies andreport back to her "as soon as possible".
But the VCGLR confirmed this week that more than a year later,it has not completed its investigation.
"The VCGLR continues to assess whether Crown’s due diligence in relation to junket operations was appropriate during the relevant times,"a VCGLR spokeswoman said.
The VCGLR was aware of the other investigations or inquiries underway into Crown,she said,and"continues to carefully monitor these matters to inform any regulatory action which may be required".
The NSW gambling regulator has been revealing damning evidence about how Crown's lax due diligence resulted in it forging businessrelationships that connected it to Asian Triad gangs,and how failures in anti-money laundering controls opened it up tobeing used by criminals to launder dirty cash. The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority is considering whether Crown should be able to keep the licence for its new Sydney casino,due to open in December.
Independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie,who has helped Crown staff become whistleblowers and facilitated damaging leaks about impropriety at the casino,said the Victorian"snap investigation"was a sham designed to bury the allegations. He said it was a relief the NSW government"has some idea of what its job is".
"The Victorian government should be paying very close attention to the NSW casino inquiry - much of the evidence is about alleged crimes and corruption that has happened in the state of Victoria,"Mr Wilkie said.