Perth casino royal commission: Gaming and Wagering member says Crown ‘sanitised response’ to laundering claims

Crown Casino bosses categorically denied allegations of massive money laundering on the Perth gaming floor when it was hauled before WA’s regulator in 2019 – information one of the members of that regulator now says was obviously “sanitised”. As the Royal Commission into the Perth Casino continued today, former State MP Katie Hodson-Thomas — a member of the Gaming and Wagering Commission — was called to give evidence. Ms Hodson-Thomas said she clearly recalled a meeting the regulators demanded with Crown hierarchy in August 2019, following media revelations of criminal use of bank accounts offered to Crown’s high-roller clients. Her recollections were that Crown denied everything. “We were all very concerned about what was coming out in the media allegations regarding Crown and its suitability around organised crime, money laundering,” she said. “We actually called in Crown to come in and present to us to provide with us some comfort that what we were reading, that there was no substantiation to those allegations “Crown did come in and presented to us and I have to say their presentation – they refuted all of those allegations. “Myself, and others around the commission, felt it might well have been a beat-up. “Obviously as we all now know that information was sanitised - we were not being provided with all the information. “That information has obviously come out in the Bergin inquiry and it made for incredible reading. “On reflection we should have done much more.” Ms Hodson-Thomas conceded that that should have included calling on an independent view – rather than relying solely on Crown’s version of events. As the first week of hearings of the Royal Commission wrapped up, the oversight – or lack of it – of Crown by the State’s regulator was a continual theme of questioning. Lack of funding and resources of the GWC, lack of experience of those in charge, increasing workloads in the State Government department tasked with overseeing the casino, and conflicts of interest, were all early topics of interest. The hearings will continue next week with more members of the GWC, past and present, due to give evidence. The Commission has been given a deadline of June 30 to present an interim report into the State’s regulatory framework around the casino, and whether it is fit for purpose. Ms Hodson-Thomas said in her view, the Casino Control Act needed updating, and a totally independent regulator was needed.