Crown shows why casino regulation should go national, experts argue after Bergin report

A blistering report into Crown casino has recommended taking gambling regulation away from beleaguered state and territory watchdogs. Key points: A scathing report into Crown casino also questions the efficacy of state-based regulation One former state gaming minister says the current system has been overwhelmed Online gambling is already essentially under Commonwealth control Experts back the change, which would align casinos with online gambling as a responsibility of the Federal Government and could help in the fight against money laundering and criminal interference. "Casino regulation may need its own bespoke authority, and I think that's something that the report yesterday went to, it's something we've been giving some thought to for a while now," he said. Given the size of casino operations such as Crown, a national body could share information with other agencies such as AUSTRAC and the Federal Police, potentially reducing the "fragmentation" Commissioner Bergin noted in her report as opening the door for money laundering. "The referral of state powers for casino regulation to the Federal Government would have the benefit of addressing the existing conflict of interest states such as Victoria face between maximising tax revenue from gambling and enforcing the regulations against the criminal infiltration of casinos via money laundering," he said.