Crown Resorts Sri Lankan Casino Back on Track After Government Change of Direction

James Packer could get his Sri Lankan casino after all, as the government has announced there is no reason why existing licenses cannot be transferred to new operators.

Previously, the government had commented on conflicting Sri Lankan gambling laws by saying there would be no new casino licenses handed out. That wasn’t enough for anti-casino protestors, however, and the government eventually caved in, removing the word “gaming” from official documents.

However, not long after Crown Resorts owner, James Packer, got into a high profile brawl with Nine Network CEO David Gyngell – more on that later – he has been handed a boost in his pursuit of a casino in Colombo.

Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella commented that there was “no legal barrier for existing casino businesses getting new partners.” With Packer already partnering with one of Sri Lankas existing casino operators, Ravi Wijeratne, the door is now open for the super casino project to really take off.

With online and mobile casinos making their presence felt in Australia, Packer is desperately searching for new revenue sources, and has placed Sri Lanka – as well as Cambodia and other Asian countries – at the top of his pile.

Fine on its way for brawling Packer

In a fight that could have been on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather versus Marcos Maidana in Vegas, James Packer and David Gyngell got into something of an altercation outside Packer’s Bondi home.

The reasons for the fight are unknown, but it’s likely to land both the maximum penalty for their public brawl. That figure stands at $500, however, a dip in the ocean for someone as rich as Packer.