One of the few surviving the coronavirus /Covid-19/ spread-halting measures casino in the world, Crown Resorts’ casino in Melbourne, has been forced to shut down its main gaming floor by authorities in Victoria, to firm up their efforts to contain the virus.

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The NSW gaming regulator has formally requested Crown Resorts to delay plans to conduct a 'limited opening' of its new $2.2 billion Sydney casino in December.

In an announcement to the press this afternoon, Philip Crawford of the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority said they would rather wait until the report of the current inquiry into the gaming giant is handed down.

Embattled casino giant Crown Resorts faces an urgent review of its Melbourne operations to determine if the company should retain its casino licence, the Victorian Andrews government will announce. Thousands have signed a petition for Melbourne’s Crown Casino to close amid the coronavirus outbreak, as events the city holds dear are cancelled or restricted. Victoria has by far the bulk of the Covid-19 infections and the huge Crown resort casino in Melbourne has now come under fresh protocols issued today, although it now has permission to reopen and expects to do so on December 1. Crown will co-operate with Victoria’s VCGLR casino probe. Crown Resorts says it will ‘work cooperatively with Victorian authorities after they brought a review into the state’s only casino.

The report is due in late January or early February 2021. The inquiry is into allegations Crown-held accounts were used for money laundering operations.

READ MORE:Crown Melbourne investigated for potential money laundering breaches

© Nine Crown Casino, stands prominently to the Sydney skyline at Barangaroo.

'We are hopeful that Crown Resorts will agree to our request to postpone opening of all gaming activities, which would be unable to begin without approval of these regulatory matters,' Mr Crawford said.

Crown Casino Melbourne News Today 2020

Video: ILGA 'not comfortable' with Crown commencing gaming operations (ABC NEWS)

'The Authority has found ongoing evidence before the Bergin Inquiry to be extremely concerning, and that any gaming activity at the casino before the Inquiry's findings are released in February 2021 and considered by the Authority would pose unacceptable risks on the community against the public interest.

'In light of this, we did not consider it appropriate to determine the applications before the Authority until the findings of the Bergin Inquiry.'

READ MORE: James Packer admits 'some' responsibility for arrest of Crown staff

© Nine ILGA chair Philip Crawford.

Mr Crawford said ILGA is prepared to work with Crown to explore options that may enable the opening of non-gaming areas including accommodation, restaurants, bars and entertainment areas next month.

Crown Casino Melbourne News Today Online

More to come.

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Crown Resorts was arrogant towards regulatory compliance and didn't properly act on money laundering red flags, an inquiry into the company suitability to run a new $2.2 billion Sydney casino has heard. The Barangaroo premises, slated to open in mid December, is under a massive cloud amid the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority probe. The regulator is reportedly set to meet with Crown on November 18 to discuss whether to push back, or put conditions on, the casino's opening. Lawyers assisting the inquiry have argued Crown is not fit to hold the Barangaroo licence due to its poor culture, lack of risk management procedures and links to dodgy junket operators. In concluding her final submissions on Monday, counsel assisting Naomi Sharp said evidence across the hearings had shown Crown had an 'arrogant indifference' to regulatory compliance. '(There is a) culture of denial and an unwillingness to examine past failings. And ... a culture which has prioritised the pursuit of profit above all else,' she said. Counsel assisting Scott Aspinall said transactions uncovered during the hearings showed Crown was either ignorant or apathetic about the money laundering risks involving two subsidiary companies. 'It's open for you to find that money laundering did occur,' he told inquiry commissioner Patricia Bergin. He said money was moved through companies Southbank and Riverbank from 2014-17 by 'smurfing', a process of splitting up money in smaller deposits to avoid detection. There were also examples cash was deposited anonymously to those companies, he said. ANZ in 2014 raised 'red flags' with Crown about Southbank and Riverbank and eventually shut down their accounts with the bank. Mr Aspinall said Crown failed to properly investigate why, and the problems persisted for years. The lawyer representing Crown, Neil Young, is set to address the allegations in his closing submissions on November 16. Mr Young said CCTV vision aired at the inquiry showing a bag full of cash being unloaded at one of Crown's high-roller rooms in Melbourne was not definitive proof of money laundering. But he did concede it amounted to a 'suspicious matter'. 'We will also explain in our submissions that Crown has taken steps to prevent such events ever recurring,' he said. Many of Crown's cultural problems stem from the 'dubious tone' set by former executive chairman and major shareholder, James Packer, the inquiry has previously heard. Lawyers representing Mr Packer's company Consolidated Press Holdings, which holds a 36.8 per cent stake in Crown, will address the inquiry on Wednesday. Commissioner Bergin, who is expected to produce a final report by February, may recommend the licence agreement for the new casino be terminated, suspended, or have new conditions added. Australian Associated Press