• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • iGaming
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

NSW court says Melco need not show privileged info to probe

Feb 11, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World  


NSW court says Melco need not show privileged info to probe

A court in New South Wales (NSW) ruled on Tuesday that a regulatory inquiry in that Australian state regarding the gaming-licence suitability of Crown Resorts Ltd, does not have the same powers as an Australian Royal Commission. As a result, casino operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, an investor in Crown Resorts, will not have to produce certain documents – ones it regarded as legally privileged – to New South Wales’ Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) and its inquiry.

Multiple media outlets quoted an ILGA spokesperson as saying the body was “considering today’s court judgment and how it may impact the running of the inquiry”.

The regulator added that any decision on whether to appeal against the judgment from the state’s Supreme Court would be a matter for the New South Wales attorney-general.

Crown Resorts runs a gaming complex in Melbourne, Victoria; one in Perth, Western Australia; and is developing a third at Barangaroo in Sydney, New South Wales.

Lawyers for the ILGA had argued that the power to form inquiries – including a suitability inquiry – as granted under the state’s Casino Control Act, meant such a probe could have the same powers as a Royal Commission, which has the right in some circumstances to override rules concerning legal privilege.

Lawyers for Melco Resorts successfully argued the law concerned was not sufficiently clear on that point.

The Australian Financial Review newspaper reported that Melco Resorts’ decision last week not to pursue purchase of the second tranche of shares in Crown Resorts, amounting to nearly 10 percent, meant that some Melco Resorts executives – ones that the latter firm had “put forward as potential Crown directors – will no longer need to be cleared by the probe”.

In its announcement stating it would not increase its stake in Crown Resorts beyond the existing circa 10 percent, Melco Resorts had said it also had decided not to seek representation on Crown Resorts’ board.

Melco Resorts, a company controlled by gaming entrepreneur Lawrence Ho Yau Lung – a son of Macau casino entrepreneur Stanley Ho Hung Sun – announced in May last year that it was paying US$1.2 billion to acquire a 19.99-percent stake in Crown Resorts, in two tranches.

A January note to investors from JP Morgan Securities Australia Ltd – issued prior to Melco Resorts saying it would not pursue the second phase of the deal in shares of Crown Resorts – stated that in likelihood at the ILGA inquiry, Crown Resorts would “face questions on whether the sale to Melco [Resorts] would make Lawrence Ho’s father (Stanley Ho), a close associate of Crown.”

Mr Stanley Ho’s name had previously been linked – according to publicly-available information – with local concerns in Australia that the businesses he founded had ties to Chinese organised crime.

The now-retired nonagenarian businessman has always denied such claims and has not been convicted of any offence relating to such allegations.

It had been expected that James Packer – a Crown Resorts founder and shareholder – and Mr Lawrence Ho, would attend the ILGA inquiry.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Carruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept, named Crown CEO
    Carruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept,...

    Jul 07, 2022  

  • Fitch downgrades Crown, signs off on rating casino firm
    Fitch downgrades Crown, signs off on...

    Jul 06, 2022  

More news
  • 2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use
    2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts...

    Jul 07, 2022  

  • Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q
    Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q...

    Jul 07, 2022  


Latest News

2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use

2 more hotels at Macau casino resorts for quarantine use

Jul 07, 2022  

Starting from Friday (July 8), two more hotels at major Macau casino resorts will be used for Covid-19 quarantine purposes. It will double the number of large gaming-resort hotels on Cotai that are...
Read More
Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q

Dream Tower June GGR monthly record, 2Q GGR down on 1Q

Jul 07, 2022  

Everi gaining market share, 70pct rev recurring: brokerage

Everi gaining market share, 70pct rev recurring: brokerage

Jul 07, 2022  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Pick of the Day

”Linda’s leadership throughout the many phases of our development in Macau has been important to our success. She will work with Ian to ensure a smooth transition”

Craig Billings

Chief executive of Wynn Macau Ltd



Most Popular

  • Coughlan to exit as Wynn Macau Ltd president in FebruaryCoughlan to exit as Wynn Macau Ltd president in February July 6, 2022
  • Carruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept, named Crown CEOCarruthers leaving Wynn Macau in Sept, named Crown CEO July 7, 2022
  • Four Seasons Macao shops paused on Covid casesFour Seasons Macao shops paused on Covid cases July 4, 2022
  • Macau’s Grand Lisboa cordoned amid 13-case Covid clusterMacau’s Grand Lisboa cordoned amid 13-case Covid… July 5, 2022
  • Macau publishes amendment to public tender regulationMacau publishes amendment to public tender regulation July 5, 2022
Copyright 2014-2022 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us