Crown Resorts is under fire for its management of compulsive gambling. The corporation reluctantly released papers detailing its procedures to the Royal Commission looking into its activities, but only after intense pressure.
Now in its third week, this Victorian investigation, initiated by allegations of money laundering against Crown, is ongoing. The documents contain a letter from Crown outlining their comprehensive strategy for combating problem gambling – by increasing staff dedicated to the issue and finally implementing mandatory playtime limitations for patrons.
Their innovative solution? Reduce their gambling duration from the existing 18 hours to a mere 12 hours within a 24-hour timeframe. The prevailing sentiment is that while Crown technically met the deadline, they delayed in surrendering these documents. It appears as though they stalled until the Commission was on the verge of questioning their responsible gambling practices.
Commissioner Ray Finkelstein didn’t hold back, highlighting that this letter essentially amounts to Crown pledging to cease activities they should never have engaged in. He implies their customary practices are a far cry from responsible.
And for good reason! The casino was recently criticized for allowing a high roller to gamble for an absurd 34 consecutive hours. Currently, staff are merely encouraged to recommend a break after 12 hours, which is clearly insufficient.
To make matters worse, it was also revealed that patrons can withdraw up to $200 AUD (approximately $155 USD) in cash with each drink purchase at the bar. One doesn’t need to be a gambling aficionado to recognize that this practically incentivizes continuous betting.
Gaming venues in Melbourne are set to resume operations on the 10th of June, though individuals with potential gambling difficulties will be closely monitored.
