Australia to Probe Casino Operator Crown's Chinese High Rollers, Visa Deals -- Update

By Rob Taylor 

CANBERRA, Australia--Australia will examine allegations that some of casino company Crown Resorts Ltd.'s business partners have organized-crime links, and that it obtained favorable visa treatment for wealthy Chinese gamblers.

The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity--which oversees law-enforcement agencies and federal officials--will look into Crown and recommend whether to launch a full investigation, Attorney-General Christian Porter said Tuesday.

"It's my view that there are sufficient concerns at least to warrant further investigations," Mr. Porter told Parliament. "That is not to say that I have before me, or that there is any obvious evidence, that supports allegations against immigration or law-enforcement or customs authorities."

Some lawmakers have been pressing for an inquiry since local media reports alleged Crown has a hotline to immigration officials to fast-track entry of wealthy Chinese gamblers, and that some companies it uses to attract the gamblers have links to triads--Chinese criminal organizations. The commission will examine all the allegations aired in Parliament and the press, a spokesman for Mr. Porter said, and report to police if necessary.

Crown is one of Australia's largest gambling and entertainment groups, with casinos in Melbourne, Perth and London, and one due to open in Sydney in 2021. A high proportion of its high rollers come from China, and in 2016 more than a dozen of its employees were detained by Chinese authorities for allegedly recruiting gamblers to go abroad, which is illegal in China.

Crown "absolutely rejects allegations of illegality" made in Parliament and in recent media reports, the company said Tuesday. "We believe these allegations are ill-informed and an attempt to smear the company," a spokeswoman said. The company said it will assist with any investigation, and urged anyone with evidence of unlawful conduct to contact authorities.

Crown shares initially fell more than 5% after the news Tuesday, against a broadly higher Australian market. They recovered to close down 1.9% at A$12.03.

In April, Wynn Resorts Ltd. abruptly called off discussions over a potential $7.1 billion offer for Crown, which it said had prematurely disclosed the talks. A month later, Nasdaq-listed Melco Resorts & Entertainment, one of the six casino operators in Macau, said it would buy a 19.99% stake for $1.22 billion from Crown's largest shareholder, a company controlled by billionaire James Packer.

Media reports by Australia's Nine Entertainment Co. in recent days detailed alleged money-laundering ties and accusations Crown had courted organized-crime figures in China under a program to attract more big Chinese gamblers--"whales"--to Australia and skirt gambling restrictions in China.

Mr. Porter said the probe is important to maintain confidence in law-enforcement and immigration officials. The law-enforcement watchdog has the power to apply for search warrants, seize evidence and exercise coercive powers against officials, as well as refer allegations to federal police.

Mike Cherney in Sydney contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 30, 2019 06:03 ET (10:03 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.