United States
United Kingdom
Australia‘s Crown Resorts was found unsuitable to operate its flagship Crown Melbourne casino by the Royal Commission.
However, the Commission did recommend for Crown to be given a grace period of 2 years to keep its license and prove that it will make significant changes and fully comply with gaming regulations.
One of the mandatory requirements that the Commission proposed was getting the government of Victoria to appoint a special manager who would oversee Crown Melbourne and be a key cog in their operations.
The government of Victoria has decided on the appointment of Stephen O’Bryan, who used to act as a corruption watchdog. O’Bryan will now monitor Crown Melbourne for the next two years and his role could pose a significant problem for Crown going forward.
Inside Asian Gaming
O’Bryan has been given an incredible amount of power over the company. He will have complete access to all parts of the casino, as well as its records. As a special manager, he can also attend any board meetings and have complete veto power over any board decisions. This makes him the ultimate decision-maker for the casino, even allowing him to issue orders.
Experts say O’Bryan’s special manager role and the powers that he possesses can turn out to be a challenge for the Crown Resort directors and the board. Normally, the board of directors can make key decisions behind the scenes. However, they have been legally forced to reveal their actions as well as explain them to an external special manager. This can quickly lead to friction with the board and might cause some of the members to think about their role and future with Crown Resorts.
More Details
O’Bryan’s powers and responsibilities were revealed recently along with the new amendments to Victoria’s gambling and casino laws. He will have to send in a report to the government every six months to show that Crown is doing well with its rehabilitation efforts. Bringing in outside experts to help Crown comply with gaming regulations will also be up to him.
Crown Resorts may not like the new ruling but knows that they will have to comply with O’Bryan and his demands during the next two if they want to keep their Melbourne casino license. They will have to tread carefully because at the end of two years, Stephen O’Bryan will be the one to recommend whether Crown keeps its license or loses it!
