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| China Detains 18 From an Australian Casino Company | China Detains 18 From an Australian Casino Company |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SYDNEY, Australia — The authorities in China have detained 18 employees from an Australian company, Crown Resorts, including the vice president of its V.I.P. international operations, in a crackdown on the promotion of gambling in China. | SYDNEY, Australia — The authorities in China have detained 18 employees from an Australian company, Crown Resorts, including the vice president of its V.I.P. international operations, in a crackdown on the promotion of gambling in China. |
| In a statement issued Monday, Crown Resorts, which operates casinos in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Perth as well as in London, Macau and Manila, said it had not been able to speak with its employees and did not know why they were being held. | In a statement issued Monday, Crown Resorts, which operates casinos in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Perth as well as in London, Macau and Manila, said it had not been able to speak with its employees and did not know why they were being held. |
| The vice president of V.I.P. international operations, Jason O’Connor, was among those detained, the statement said. The local news media reported that he was responsible for attracting wealthy Chinese gamblers to Crown’s resorts in Australia. Crown is one of Australia’s largest gambling companies, and its casino in Melbourne is the biggest in the country. | |
| The Australian government confirmed that three of its citizens had been detained. | The Australian government confirmed that three of its citizens had been detained. |
| “We are aware of reports of the possible detention of a number of Crown International Group employees across China overnight on 13-14 October, including three Australians,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade wrote in a statement. “Chinese authorities have three days in which to notify of the detention of Australians according to the terms of a bilateral consular treaty.” The department expected to hear from Chinese officials later Monday. | “We are aware of reports of the possible detention of a number of Crown International Group employees across China overnight on 13-14 October, including three Australians,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade wrote in a statement. “Chinese authorities have three days in which to notify of the detention of Australians according to the terms of a bilateral consular treaty.” The department expected to hear from Chinese officials later Monday. |
| Crown said it was working with the Australian government to urgently make contact with its employees and ascertain their welfare. | Crown said it was working with the Australian government to urgently make contact with its employees and ascertain their welfare. |
| The Crown employees were arrested in raids that appeared to be linked to measures to restrict the promotion of gambling in China. Casino operators are not allowed to advertise in China, but Crown and other companies can promote their resorts and tourist attractions in the cities where the casinos are. | The Crown employees were arrested in raids that appeared to be linked to measures to restrict the promotion of gambling in China. Casino operators are not allowed to advertise in China, but Crown and other companies can promote their resorts and tourist attractions in the cities where the casinos are. |
| The local news media reported a statement by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that said the Australians had been detained “for suspected involvement in gambling crimes.” It said the case remained under investigation. | |
| More than a third of the revenue generated by Crown is from overseas visitors, many of whom travel from China. The resorts include high-end restaurants and shops and luxury accommodations. The company, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and based in Melbourne, is partly owned by an Australian billionaire, James Packer. | More than a third of the revenue generated by Crown is from overseas visitors, many of whom travel from China. The resorts include high-end restaurants and shops and luxury accommodations. The company, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and based in Melbourne, is partly owned by an Australian billionaire, James Packer. |
| Crown owns an equity stake in Melco Crown Entertainment. In Macau, Melco Crown owns and operates two properties, City of Dreams and Altira Macau, and a network of niche gambling facilities in the Mocha Clubs business. It also has an interest in Macau’s Studio City resort, which has 250 tables and 1,100 machines. Macau is the world’s largest gambling market, with revenue about five times that of Las Vegas. |