Crown Casino Has Been Accused Of Poker Machine Tampering

    Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said in parliament that three whistleblowers reported allegations that the casino also turned a blind eye to drug use and family violence.

    Melbourne's Crown Casino has been accused of facilitating tampering of its poker machines, sanctioned use of illicit drugs, and the covering up of domestic violence, by whistleblowers who contacted independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

    On Wednesday, under parliamentary privilege in the Federation Chamber — an alternative venue to the lower house that allows two debates to occur concurrently — Wilkie said he had verified the identities of the three former Crown employees, who made a wide range of allegations against Crown Casino. The casino, Australia's largest, has operated on the south banks of the Yarra River for 23 years.

    Wilkie said the trio — which contacted him through the Pokieleaks website he operates with independent senator Nick Xenophon — alleged that Crown was tampering with the buttons on poker machines, to allow punters to auto-play (automatically keep betting, a practice against the law); and manipulating the software to reduce the returns to betters from machines on the weekend, when more casual punters attend the casino.

    "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," Wilkie said.

    He also alleged that the company "sanctioned" the use of illicit drugs, and covered up domestic violence, and attempted to bypass AUSTRAC's anti-money laundering requirements that would require the company to report all transactions over $10,000.

    "If these allegations are true, then Crown would be facilitating money-laundering for any number of nefarious reasons like tax fraud, drug running, and even terrorism," he said.

    In a press conference after his speech, Wilkie said there needed to be an inquiry by law enforcement and regulatory agencies, and he called for the parliament to conduct its own inquiry into the allegations.

    .@WilkieMP: I’m looking to the parliament to form an inquiry into these allegations. MORE https://t.co/NBcBazru4r

    "I'm also looking to the parliament to form some sort of parliamentary inquiry into these allegations, and perhaps more broadly than just Crown Casino, just to be able to reassure ourselves that if these allegations are true, that at least they're limited to Crown Casino, but we will wait and see."

    In a statement issued after Wilkie's explosive claims, Crown rejected Wilkie's claims.

    "Crown rejects the allegations made today under parliamentary privilege by Mr Andrew Wilkie MP, as reported in the media, concerning the improper manipulation of poker machines and other illegal or improper conduct at Crown Casino in Melbourne," the statement read. "Crown calls on Mr Wilkie to immediately provide to the relevant authorities all information relating to the matters alleged."

    The Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team and Jacqui Lambie are teaming up in the Senate to try to get an inquiry into the allegations. It will need the support of Labor or the government in order for an inquiry to be established. When asked about the allegations earlier today, Shorten said they needed to be investigated by the Victorian regulator.

    "There are gambling regulators in Victoria and no doubt they need to investigate it. They are serious allegations and they do deserve to be investigated," he said.

    The Victorian gambling regulator is currently undertaking a review into Crown Casino. These occur every five years.