Each individual promotion will What Time Do The Crown Casino Flames Start come with its own set of specific significant terms and conditions (the “Significant Terms”) in addition to these Standard Promotional Terms and Conditions (“Standard Promo Terms”). For full details of the Crown Melbourne COVIDSafe Plan, please click here. Crown Towers, Crown Metropol and Crown Spa are now open. For further information on venue re-openings click here. Our casino has received approval to extend operations from 9 December 2020 with a range of restrictions. For further information please click here.

Reviews from Crown Casino employees about working as a Dealer at Crown Casino. Learn about Crown Casino culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. Melbourne VIC - 1 July 2019. I worked there for more than 4 years and got terminated for raising genuine issues. The managers are very good in scapegoating. The Crown Resorts AGM was a typically feisty, if somewhat secretive affair, with executive chair John Alexander batting away allegations of numerous scandals involving the casino business.

60 Minutes has revealed the secret inner workings of Australia’s biggest casino, its ties to Chinese crime bosses and communist party figures, drug syndicates, money laundering and alleged sex trafficking rings. CREDIT: 60 Minutes

The 60 Minutes team. Picture: Channel 9Source:Channel 9

Channel 9 had built it up as a story that would “rock the foundations of Australia”, but a 60 Minutes investigation into Crown casinos left many viewers unimpressed.

The year-long investigation looked at tens of thousands of leaked emails which show the secret inner workings of Australia’s biggest casino.

The Sunday night current affairs show claims these emails show Crown’s links to Chinese crime bosses and communist party figures, drug syndicates, money laundering and alleged sex trafficking rings.

In a promo released a few days ago, 60 Minutes said the episode would feature “a story so important it can’t be missed”, which was “set to rock the foundations of Australia”.

The show came about as a result as a major investigation into Crown casinos. Picture: Channel 9Source:Supplied

However, from the get-go it was clear that many viewers felt let down — saying they felt the episode had been massively over-hyped.

Others pointed out that ABC’s Four Cornersran a similar story in 2017 called “Crown Confidential” which included allegations that Crown had “developed a business model based on luring rich Chinese, known as VIP high rollers, to its casinos … in a country where gambling and promoting gambling are illegal”.

The #Ashes promo has been the most exciting part of this earth shattering #60mins story.

— Megan Hustwaite (@MeganHustwaite) July 28, 2019

But The Age journalist behind the story, Nick McKenzie, defended the 60 Minutes exclusive, calling on viewers to judge the story not the promo.

Gay, Mike- I hope you judge the show on its merits, not on the promo!! I reckon you might be surprised at what else we’ve found.

— Nick McKenzie (@Ageinvestigates) July 27, 2019

Others came to the show’s defence, saying it exposed an obscene level of corporate greed in Australia and posed serious questions for the Federal government — particularly given it claimed the Australian Consulate was helping Crown by handing out hundreds of visas to dubious gamblers.

Sacked Border Force Commissioner, Roman Quaedvlieg, even claimed he was encouraged by ministers to help fast-track Crown’s Chinese high rollers through Australia’s borders.

Public interest #journalism bravo @Ageinvestigates we need more of this reporting. Revelations which surely must lead to action by regulators and governments. #60minuteshttps://t.co/aPIAGi1fDg

— Jules Hope (@HopeJules) July 28, 2019

Dirty money, dirty politics - no excuses anymore - we need a National ICAC and we need it now! #60Minutes Thanks @quaedvliegs for keeping the bastards honest as usual! https://t.co/xTKpCSEjeN

— Jacqui Lambie (@JacquiLambie) July 28, 2019

WHAT DID 60 MINUTES UNCOVER?

The investigation by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes, aided by one of the biggest leaks of corporate data in Australia, showed how Crown helped bring criminals into Australia — raising “serious national security concerns”.

One of the journalists who worked on the story, Nick McKenzie, said the emails showed a “lust for profits-proven arrogant culture where almost anything, including courting people with ties to the criminal underworld was not only allowed but encouraged”.

The story alleges that Crown broke Chinese law by promoting gambling and paying Chinese sales staff bonuses to lure big gamblers Down Under.

60 Minutes followed a former employee of Crown Resorts, Jenny Jiang, who spent four weeks in a Chinese prison with drug dealers, pickpockets and prostitutes after she was arrested in October 14, 2016.

Former Crown employer Jenny Jiang spent four weeks in a Chinese prison. Picture: Channel 9Source:Supplied

She was arrested in 2016. Picture: Channel 9Source:Supplied

She was one of 19 Crown staff, including three Australians, who were held in custody and convicted of breaching Chinese laws that ban gambling and its promotion.

These laws include the luring of groups of high-rollers to offshore casinos, which she said she was helping facilitate in her role with Crown.

She also claimed Australian consulate offices in China were helping Crown get fast-tracked visas and she was offered a $60,000 payment offer from Crown to keep quiet about its overseas activities.

Sacked Border Force Commissioner, Roman Quaedvlieg, also appeared on 60 Minutes and said he knew how well-connected Crown was to the Federal Government.

He said he was encouraged by several members of parliament, including two ministers, to help fast-track Crown’s Chinese high rollers through Australia’s borders.

Roman Quaedvlieg said Crown is well-connected within the Federal Government. Picture: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSource:AAP

“I spoke to a sitting member of parliament in addition to two ministers … indicating that Crown, and subsequently the junket operators that worked with Crown, weren’t receiving a facilitated service for private jets coming into Australia, into Perth and Melbourne, and were seeking some arrangements which smoothed out the processes there a little,” Mr Quaedvlieg said.

“It’s very clear that there was a powerful constituency behind the entreaty.”

In a statement to The Age, Crown Resorts denied any breach of Chinese law and added it had not been charged with an offence in China.

James Packer, who was not a Crown executive or director at the time and who sold half his stake in the company for $1.76 billion earlier this year, “adamantly” denied knowledge of Crown’s activities in China with his lawyer telling The Age the businessman had a “passive role” in events.

James Packer ‘adamantly’ denied knowledge of Crown’s activities in China. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey NearmySource:AAP

Reporter Allison Langdon concluded 60 Minutes by saying Mr Packer did not want to be interviewed for the story.

“But he told us he had no knowledge or involvement in the issues we have raised tonight,” she said. “And despite being the major shareholder and public face of the company, he emphasised he was not a director of Crown Resorts at the time its employees were imprisoned in China and hadn’t been for many months before that.”

Crown Casino Flames 2019 2020

She added a Crown Resorts spokesperson told them the company does not discuss its relationships with junket operators and other individuals.

“We were also told that even though 19 of its staff pleaded guilty and were convicted and imprisoned in China, Crown didn’t breach Chinese law,” she said. “It seems corporate arrogance has hit a new low.”

Crown Casino in Melbourne is not only Australia’s premier land-based gambling venue, but the largest gaming complex in the entire Southern Hemisphere. As such, you would expect it to be a mecca for the most popular casino game in the world: real money blackjack.

However, the Southbank establishment – along with its sister site at Burswood, Perth – has become something of a no man’s land for players of 21 in recent years, due largely to the introduction of a controversial format known as Blackjack Plus. Let us show you why this is one game Aussie blackjack enthusiasts should look to steer well clear of, and what alternatives we might consider instead.

Why to avoid Blackjack Plus

Blackjack Plus tables began to appear at Crown around 2011, and have since replaced most low-to-medium limit 21 games on the casino floor. But what is it about this particular style that has so infuriated punters and anti-gaming spokesmen alike?

At a glance, the game has plenty of rules that benefit the player:

• Natural blackjack pays 3/2
• All 21 hands are paid out straight away
• All five-card hands under 21 are paid out straight away
• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Players can double down on any hand of two or three cards

For starters, the 3/2 payout on a natural 21 is a significant improvement on the 6/5 return found in many Australian blackjack games. The fact all 21s and five-and-under hands win immediately is another big yes that was previously hard to come by. But all these player-friendly rules are made redundant by one big, fat stinker: the dealer cannot bust with 22.

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The first time we here at Blackjack.com.au came across this rule, we were gobsmacked. Try explaining it to someone from overseas, and they will look at you like you’ve told them their dog just died. For in a game built around the premise of scoring 21 or less, how on Earth can the house be allowed to stand off with 22? It makes no sense.

And here’s the fun part: how does the 22 rule affect the house edge? Well, the original Crown Blackjack game bore a theoretical return of around 99.44 per cent – i.e. playing with good strategy, we could expect to regain about $99.44 of every $100 wagered. With Blackjack Plus, that figure sinks as low as 97.14 per cent when using a full shoe of eight standard decks. In the blackjack world, where the casino’s mathematical advantage is often less than 0.50 per cent, a house edge of 2.86 per cent is extremely high.

But what’s an extra $2.30 out of every $100? Think about the big picture here. This is not just your money, but every dollar spent on Blackjack Plus. If 1,000 punters gambled an average of $100 each, Crown could statistically expect to rake in over $28,000 – and that’s assuming every player is clued up and using basic strategy, which is incredibly unlikely. In the old 6/5 blackjack, that figure would be under $6,000.

So, to sum up, Blackjack Plus is a gross perversion of the game of 21 and should be avoided like the plague. Unfortunately, if you can’t afford to bet $100 per hand, you may find that your options at Crown Casino are very limited.

Other 21 games at Crown Casino

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If you’re one of the lucky ones with a bankroll to burn, you can sidestep the BJ+ tables altogether for more traditional (and much fairer) variations on the grand old game of 21. You may find a few low-bet tables for these game styles, but as a general rule you should expect to pay a minimum wager of $50 or more per hand.

Crown Blackjack

This used to be the stock-in-trade before the scourge that is Blackjack Plus took hold on Southbank. It uses conventional Australian rules, with a 6/5 payout on natural blackjacks, no hole card for the house, and the dealer hitting all soft 17s. The house edge for Crown Blackjack is around 0.56 per cent.

Vegas Blackjack

If you have the cash and the clout to hang with the high rollers in the Mahogany Room, you might just find a halfway decent Vegas Blackjack table. This is as close to Nevada rules as you will get in Melbourne. The dealer takes a hole card (as is standard in the US), splits and doubles are allowed, and you have the option to surrender half your initial bet when the house’s upcard shows 10 or Ace.

Crown Pontoon

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This is a distinctly Aussie blackjack variation, and probably your best chance of finding a low minimum bet limit outside BJ Plus. Crown Pontoon uses up to eight modified decks with all face-value Tens removed (i.e. there is no Ten of Clubs, Ten of Spades, Ten of Diamonds, or Ten of Hearts, for a total of 48 cards per deck). Naturals pay 3/2, and there are various bonus prizes for hands of 7 7 7 or 6 7 8 – including a Super Bonus of up to $5000. Crown also offers 6 to 5 Pontoon, with a decreased payoff for naturals.

Blackjack Sidebets in Melbourne & Perth

A handful of Crown’s blackjack games will offer side bets. These wagers are independent of your initial blackjack bet, and can be made on a specific set of incidental outcomes that might occur within the player’s hand.

Below are a few sidebet options you might find on any of the available 21 games at Southbank or Burswood. Be warned: these wagers come with a big house edge, so we suggest avoiding them unless you’re feeling extremely lucky.

Crown Suits: Wins at 2 to 1 odds when your first two cards are of the same suit. If the dealer’s card is also of the same suit as your first two cards, the wager pays 5 to 1. This is one of the more winnable blackjack side-wagers out there.

Perfect Pairs: Pays off when your first two cards turn up a pair. Exact payouts vary depending on the number of decks used and the specific form of 21 being played. In Crown Blackjack with eight decks, a mixed pair (different suits and colours) pays 6 to 1; a coloured pair (same colour, different suit) pays 12 to 1; and a perfect pair (same colour, same suit) pays 25 to 1. The house edge here is 4.1 per cent, but it can go as high as 12 per cent in Crown Pontoon.

Magnificent Sevens: One of the most tempting blackjack side-bets, with a maximum payout of 16,000 to 1 when you draw three Sevens in the same suit. You can also salute with off-suit Sevens (50 to 1) and suited Sevens (150 to 1) on your first two cards, as well as 7 7 7 in mixed suits (up to 950 to 1).

Blackpot: A semi-electronic blackjack variant, where players can place side-bets on a two-hand progressive jackpot using digital betting devices. If you draw a hand of 6 7 8 (pays 100 to 1) when playing the side-bet, you can then press the wager into the next hand and play for up to 20,000x your initial wager.

Tipping isn’t expected in Australian casinos, but many players do choose to tip the dealer. If you’re not sure about tipping etiquette during a game of blackjack, read our guide to when to tip the dealer.

Crown Rewards for blackjack players

One part of the Crown Casino which makes up for the terrible Blackjack Plus variant is Crown Rewards. This is a loyalty rewards program which is free to sign up for (either online or through the help desk at the casino) which grants members points for every transaction made within the Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne (and Crown Perth, if you play 21 there). Use your card while playing blackjack at the tables, electronic blackjack or any other table game or pokies machine and you will gain points, which, when saved up enough, can be redeemed for freebies and experiences. Examples include: Crown gift cards, movie tickets, free parking, birthday offers, hotel discounts, grand final experiences and helicopter tours.

To gain the maximum rewards, it also pays to be a CrownBet.com.au member as well, as the Crown Rewards program ties in with every wager you make with your Crownbet account – make sure to link your Crown Signature Club Card to your Crownbet account first to ensure points are correctly awarded each time to place a bet.

For a full comprehensive break-down of what CrownBet Rewards entails and what kind of things you can redeem with the points, check out our in-depth guide to the CrownBet Rewards program.

Get Better Blackjack Odds – Play Real Cash 21 Online

We’ll be blunt: if you’re not playing at least $50 a hand, most of the live blackjack games at Crown Casino are a rip off. From a purely statistical point of view, every gambler is better off playing 21 over the Net – and that’s not taking into account all the added perks of online casino betting. Play from home, avoid the crowds, and save money on extortionate cab fares, all while enjoying a far greater range of real money blackjack options than you would find at any land-based casino.

Unfortunately, online gambling is illegal in Australia as of September 2017 following the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016, so online play is available for international readers only.

For the best blackjack games on the Web, we recommend All Slots Casino. Enjoy over 40 varieties of the world’s most popular table game, including live dealer blackjack, hi-stakes 21, and real money mobile blackjack. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as players can choose from over 500 Web-based casino games all up – from 400+ online slots and progressives, to real money roulette and baccarat, to video poker, instant-win scratchies, bingo, and much more.

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