Aussie regulators size up Crown Resorts’ financial strength

Australian gambling regulators have placed casino operator Crown Resorts’ financial strength under the microscope as its license undergoes under a review.

The scrutiny from gambling regulators comes three weeks after the Australian-listed firm begun restructuring its business, including an aggressive cost-cutting programs following a sharp decline in its VIP gambling business.

The Australian reported that both the Victorian gambling regulator, and its counterpart in New South Wales are now conducting “on-going inquiries” whether the casino operator led by billionaire James Packer is still fit to operate in Melbourne and Sydney.

A spokesman for the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) told the news agency that the license of Crown’s Melbourne casino will be reviewed 14 weeks from now. The state regulator conducts a five-yearly review on Crown’s flagship in Melbourne to determine not only its financial strength but also suitability to operate.