Crown Resorts chairman lambastes anti-gambling politician

The chairman of Crown Resorts, John Alexander, has come out with all guns firing following allegations in the Australian parliament this week by independent anti-gambling politician Andrew Wilkie that Crown whistleblowers have accused the company of tampering with pokie machines and skirting anti-money laundering laws (see previous report).

In an open letter addressed to Wilkie, Alexander augmented earlier denials by the company and said:

“I am angered and disappointed by the outrageous allegations that have been leveled at us by Andrew Wilkie.

“If he believes he has evidence of wrongdoing, he should stop the political games, step out of the parliament and make his claims without privilege.

“Crown operates in a strictly regulated environment, with multiple government agencies and state law enforcement bodies supervising our operations. We have a sophisticated anti-money-laundering program and we take compliance with Austrac requirements very seriously.”

Crown’s shares have taken a hammering this week, wiping around A$500 million off its market cap, although the sell-offs had eased by Friday.