Liquor & Gaming NSW, the gaming regulator in New South Wales (NSW), Australia has come under criticism after it was discovered that the agency did not provide relevant documents to an investigation into money laundering.
Regulator Did Not Provide 125 Docs for Project Islington
A call for papers initiated by Sydney MP Alex Greenwich found that the gaming regulator had not forwarded 125 key documents to the NSW Crime Commission when it conducted Project Islington, a probe into money laundering in pubs and clubs across NSW.
A final report on the investigation found that pokie machines were used by criminals to launder money, but they were not prosecuted due to a lack of information regarding their identities. The report recommended the implementation of cashless gaming cards to tackle the issue.
Following the discovery, Greenwich has cast doubt on Liquor & Gaming’s ability to properly investigate gaming-related crime. He called on Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris to review the regulator’s role and make changes where needed.
Gaming Minister Allays Concerns
Supporting Greenwich’s call for papers, Minister Harris said that the Minns government takes gambling reform seriously and is committed to minimizing harm and addressing money laundering.
Harris also highlighted further actions taken by the government so far in this area, including deploying more compliance officers and investigators under changes to the Liquor & Gaming NSW’s Hospitality and Racing organizational structure.
