Australian Casino Giant Star Entertainment Under Investigation for Alleged Money Laundering Violations
Australias financial crimes regulatory body, AUSTRAC, is initiating a probe into the gaming corporation Star Entertainment Group. They believe Star may have broken anti-money laundering regulations, potentially hindering Star’s $12 billion offer to acquire competing casino enterprise Crown Resorts, as reported by Reuters.
In a declaration, Star Entertainment recognized that AUSTRAC had identified suspected infractions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules 2007. The concerns center around “continuous client scrutiny, and the implementation and upkeep of an AML/CTF program and adherence to Part A of the program.” AUSTRAC initially voiced these apprehensions in 2019, concentrating on Star Sydney’s handling of high-risk and politically influential patrons between 2015 and 2019.
Currently, AUSTRAC is formally elevating the issue to a comprehensive inquiry. Star affirms they will completely collaborate with AUSTRAC’s information requests. Star presently runs Sydney’s sole casino.
This presents a complication in Star’s latest attempt to purchase Crown Resorts, another casino operator already confronting its own series of inquiries and a royal commission into its gaming operations.
An explosive exposé has sent shockwaves through the Australian gambling sector, claiming that Crown Resorts, a major industry force, could be deeply entangled in illicit funds washing. Government officials are treating these allegations with utmost gravity, prompting AUSTRAC, the nation’s financial crime authority, to initiate a comprehensive inquiry into Crown’s Perth gaming establishment. Their focus is on whether the casino disregarded indications of illegal proceeds, potentially breaching regulations designed to combat money laundering and the funding of terrorism. Furthermore, SkyCity Entertainment Group, another prominent casino entity, is also under scrutiny, facing comparable doubts regarding their Australian ventures. It appears the Australian casino landscape is poised for a significant upheaval as regulators intensify their efforts to suppress potential unlawful conduct.