Regulation of casinos in Western Australia will be strengthened with new reforms in response to the Perth Casino Royal Commission.
The Royal Commission final report, tabled in Parliament today, found that Crown and its subsidiaries are not presently suitable to hold a gaming licence, or to be concerned in or associated with the organisation and conduct of the Perth Casino.
While the final report does not make a recommendation to revoke the gambling licence, it outlines a detailed path to remediation for the licence holder and its associates to become a suitable operator, ensuring around 5,000 jobs are secure during this transition phase.
The McGowan Government welcomes the final report and its recommendations, and will take a staged approach to its detailed response.
As part of its immediate response to the Royal Commission, the McGowan Government has committed to a reform package to address a range of the final report’s recommendations.
The McGowan Government also remains fully committed to maintaining its ban on poker machines and restricting electronic gaming machines to within the casino.
The initial priorities from the reform package will include:
- legislative amendments to empower the Racing and Gaming Minister and Gaming and Wagering Commission to enact remediation processes within the casino;
- appointment of new members to the Gaming and Wagering Commission;
- initiating the process to appoint an independent monitor to oversee remediation work at WA’s casino for a two-year period;
- improving the effectiveness of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and the Gaming and Wagering Commission;
- investigating additional regulation of electronic gaming machines operated at the casino; and
- investigating a modernised Act to replace the Casino Control Act 1984.
The WA Government has already implemented several governance, culture and regulatory reforms to address the issues raised in the Royal Commission’s interim report.
Importantly, this has included the appointment of a dedicated Executive Director for Racing, Gaming and Liquor, additional resources for the Gaming and Wagering Commission, and an updated conflict of interest policy.
The report also notes that the Perth Casino licensee and its associates have embarked on numerous remediation activities over the past two years.
Further actions arising from the Royal Commission recommendations will be considered as the Government continues to review the final report in more detail.
As stated by Racing and Gaming Minister Tony Buti:
“I want to thank the commissioners for their meticulous work in compiling the Perth Casino Royal Commission.
“The Perth Casino Royal Commission has shown Western Australians, including the thousands of hardworking Crown employees, they deserve better from its casino operator and from its governance.
“The McGowan Government is now committed to bringing about wide-reaching reforms to ensure we have a governance framework that ensures the casino is held to account.
“To kickstart this process, I will issue a statement of expectation to the Gaming and Wagering Commission to formally advise of the Government’s expectation that it acts in a manner consistent with the recommendations of the final report.
“I look forward to the task of progressing these important reforms to ensure the highest standards of integrity.”
