Crown likely to get Sydney licence

Despite the heavy fine for accepting Chinese bank cards at its Melbourne venue, Australian casino operator Crown Resorts is in line for a temporary licence to open its Sydney casino.

The conditional licence will be granted by the New South Wales regulator to cover a specific period with the possibility of a permanent licence in future, reports ABC News. A decision will be made today (Monday) by the state cabinet.

The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority decided a year ago that Crown was unsuitable to have a gambling licence for its Barangaroo Casino in Sydney’s Harbour-side, blocking the opening, although the new building’s hotel and restaurants were able to operate.

Since then equity group Blackstone has moved to take over the company, approved by Crown shareholders, and Crown’s new leadership has gone to some lengths to display contrition, including offering to pay part of the costs of the investigation and end junkets, take up cashless gaming and ban smoking indoors.