Evidence presented at the NSW Casino Inquiry should lead to the immediate suspension of operation at the Melbourne and Perth Crown casinos.

The NSW inquiry was told by Counsel assisting, Adam Bell SC, that the Crown group was not a “suitable person” to hold the licence to its new $2.2bn casino at Barangaroo, and that Crown Resorts is not a suitable person to be a close associate of the licensee.

“If Crown is not fit and proper to hold a casino licence in NSW, how can Crown be trusted to run a casino anywhere in Australia?” Mr Wilkie asked.

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“Let’s not forget, the evidence used to recommend against the NSW licence was based on how Crown currently runs Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth.”

Video of money laundering taking place at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, as well as video-taped evidence from Crown employees of other serious misconduct and criminality, was initially revealed by Mr Wilkie in Federal Parliament. It subsequently formed part of the compelling evidence at the NSW Casino Inquiry.

Mr Wilkie commended the brave whistleblowers who came forward because they were deeply concerned about the conduct of Crown.

“Without these brave people, the truth about Crown’s conduct may never have come to light,” Mr Wilkie said.

Mr Wilkie called on the Victorian and NSW Premiers to suspend activities at both casinos immediately.

“An immediate suspension is particularly important in Victoria where the regulator, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, has failed disgracefully to do its job,” Mr Wilkie said.

“The VCGLR has allowed criminality and money laundering to flourish at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.”

Crown Sydney was due to open in next month. But it’s unclear whether this will now happen.

GRACE TOBIN, REPORTER: Looming over Sydney's skyline is Crown's shining jewel - its new casino on the harbour for high-roller gamblers but its future is under a dark cloud.

For months a New South Wales inquiry headed by Commissioner Patricia Bergin has heard explosive evidence against the company and now Counsel Assisting has made a stunning final submission that Crown is unfit to hold the lucrative casino licence.

ADAM BELL, COUNSEL ASSISTING: We submit that the evidence as entered into this inquiry demonstrates that the licensee is not a suitable person to continue to give effective licence. That Crown Resorts is not a suitable person to be close associated with the licensee.

GRACE TOBIN: The argument by Counsel Assisting follows months of damning evidence including that the company failed to stop money laundering at its Melbourne and Perth casinos and went into business with junket operators with links to Asian organised crime.

NAOMI SHARP: You have seen footage of the blue cooler bag which shows hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash being handed over in exchange for chips.

GRACE TOBIN: The inquiry also heard that Crown put its employees at risk in China where 19 staff were arrested in 2016.

ADAM BELL: We submit that the evidence in relation to the China arrests demonstrates serious and systemic failures.

GRACE TOBIN: Much of the blame at the inquiry was put at the feet of Crown's major shareholder, James Packer.

JAMES PACKER: A lot of the things that I've seen or heard in this inquiry have been a total shock to me.

GRACE TOBIN: Counsel Assisting argued Packer should be banned from being closely involved with Crown's new Sydney casino after evidence emerged about the billionaire's influence over the company and his behaviour including that he threatened a Melbourne businessman over email in 2015.

ADAM BELL: You accept that your conduct in these emails was disgraceful, don't you?

Is Crown Casino Perth Still Opening

JAMES PACKER: Yes.

ADAM BELL: So you were a director of Crown Resorts at the time you engaged in this disgraceful behaviour?

JAMES PACKER: Yes.

ADAM BELL: How can the New South Wales regulator have any confidence in your character or integrity in light of your communications in these emails?

JAMES PACKER: Because I'm being treated now for my bipolar.

GRACE TOBIN: Ultimately, it is up to the inquiry's Commissioner to make findings on whether she thinks Crown and its current board are fit to hold a casino licence in New South Wales.

Her final report isn't due until February but in the meantime, Crown is pushing ahead with its plans to open its Barangaroo casino next month.

CHRIS SIDOTI, FORMER NSW REGULATOR: It would be a provocative act, an act of bad faith. To me, the company has no alternative but to postpone the opening of the Barangaroo casino.

GRACE TOBIN: Chris Sidoti is the former head of the New South Wales gambling watchdog. He says Crown's intention to open its casino before the inquiry is even over shows there has been no real cultural change at Crown.

CHRIS SIDOTI: I think it is a culture of the pursuit of profit at all costs.

Crown is a privileged corporation in this country and that places a higher obligation on it, beyond even legal obligations, towards the broader community and I think that it is a breach of those kinds of community responsibilities for it to proceed with opening in Sydney next month while Commissioner Bergin is completing her report.

JOHN HEWSON, FORMER LIBERAL LEADER: All this talk that the board of Crown is thinking of operating the casino before the licenced position is determined just wouldn't pass the pub test.

You'd think the board would, given the hit on its credibility in recent days, you'd think that they'd say publicly, 'Look, we're not going to try and operate until we have a clean bill of health from the licensing board that we are fit and proper for this licence.'

GRACE TOBIN: Former federal Liberal leader, John Hewson, says if Crown doesn't act, the New South Wales Government needs to intervene.

JOHN HEWSON: This has been a very controversial licence from the beginning. I mean for the process to have been initiated without a proper public tender and a competitive process, favoured treatment to Packer and his team, you would think in those circumstances, you know, it's time that somebody stand up and say what they think is right here.

GRACE TOBIN: The New South Wales Premier has said she is seeking urgent advice as to what the Government can do.

GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER: I'll get advice from ILGA (Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority) when I need to get advice as to whether or not that should proceed in December or not and I'm willing to take the decision not to if that is the advice I get.

CHRIS SIDOTI: I don't think the authority can act without some recommendation from the Commissioner. The Commissioner is entitled to wait until the beginning of February. That's her deadline and that's why I say, Crown is responsible. It is their responsibility. They have to make the decision and they should not open.

GRACE TOBIN: In Perth, Crown is still operating as usual and in Melbourne, the casino is due to reopen shortly after closing under COVID-19 restrictions.

Regulators there say they're keeping across the evidence before the New South Wales inquiry.

Is Crown Casino Perth Open Christmas Day

Crown didn't respond to 7.30's question about whether it is appropriate to open its new casino in December.