Regulator warns Crown on Sri Lankan investments

15 August 2013 10:58 am

Gaming mogul James Packer-controlled Crown casino group has been warned of dangers of bribery in expanding its casino empire into Sri Lanka and the Philippines, by a state gambling watchdog, Australian media reported.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation warned Crown to be careful with its expansion plans and it “investigated Crown Limited’s approach to managing risk and ensuring compliance with anti-bribery and anticorruption laws when investing in international markets.”

It said the commission “remains cautious about Crown Limited’s expansion into countries with public sector governance challenges and will be monitoring current and future investments closely, including Melco Crown’s investment in the Philippines and any possible Crown group investment in Sri Lanka.”