Crown accused of pokies tampering
WHISTLEBLOWERS allege Crown Casino has deliberately tampered with poker machines to increase gambling losses.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie tabled the allegations of criminal conduct in federal Parliament yesterday.
The video evidence from three former staff at the Victorian casino also alleges it deliberately overlooked illegal drug use and domestic violence.
“Today very serious allegations have been levelled at the poker machine industry,” Mr Wilkie said.
“Although the allegations focus on Crown in Melbourne, they could also suggest a broader pattern of behaviour in the poker machine industry, which would obviously have grave implications for people right around Australia.”
He added: “I call on the Federal and Victorian governments to ensure the allegations are investigated thoroughly. The truth will not be uncovered without a parliamentary inquiry, as well as investigations by law enforcement and regulatory agencies.”
The interviews were recorded as part of Mr Wilkie’s PokieLeaks campaign, launched with South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon to “expose the dirty secrets” of the poker machine industry.
The video footage includes allegations Crown Casino engaged in “illegal machine tampering”, including the disabling of lower bet options and modifying of buttons to allow prohibited continuous play.
“Moreover there’s software manipulation to increase gambler losses even further, in particular on weekends when the number of naive first-time and casual users is obviously much greater,” Mr Wilkie said.
He said the whistleblowers alleged the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation had done nothing to stop the “shocking criminal conduct” and “in some cases” was complicit in covering it up.
“The whistleblowers also allege the casino avoids AUSTRAC scrutiny of individuals involved in transactions of over $10,000 by sometimes tolerating or even encouraging the misuse of identity documents,” he said.
“If these allegations are true, then Crown would be facilitating money laundering practices for any number of nefarious reasons like tax fraud, drug running and even terrorism.
“Other examples of alleged misconduct at Crown include sanctioned use of illicit drugs at the casino, the practice of covering up domestic violence and management’s disinterest in staff flaunting the law prohibiting them gambling.”
Mr Wilkie said he had “confirmed” the identity of the whistleblowers.