An 86-page report investigating alleged money laundering through electronic game consoles (EGMs) in New South Wales, Australia, said billions of Australian dollars could be involved and recommended that the Australian government mandate cashless play as a way to curb it.

The New South Wales Crime Commission said in a press release that “criminals were siphoning off billions of dollars of ‘dirty’ cash from bars and clubs every year in the state through poker machines” but “there was no effective control or data collection to identify or prosecute those involved.” 온라인경마

The state’s gaming sector has come under special scrutiny recently, with licenses for Star Entertainment Group’s flagship Sydney casino suspended “weaponically” from Oct. 21 and the property under state supervision following a separate investigation that found multiple failures in anti-money laundering practices in high-value gambling.

The report on the game console recommended “mandatory” cashless games, suggesting it would “remove anonymity and increase traceability of EGM-related transactions to minimize money laundering related to EGM.”

“This will allow law enforcement to identify and respond to money laundering and improve data analytics on gambling and money laundering,” the paper published on Wednesday added

The report said: “Some known criminals are using slot machines for organized money laundering, but some are doing accidental money laundering, including using criminal proceeds for leisure betting.

The survey found “strong evidence” that drug dealers were gambling on a large scale through EGM “with money earned from crime.”

The report added. “They weren’t trying to disguise or launder the source of cash, they were using the cash proceeds of the crime to gamble.” Crimes under state criminal law.

The survey found information named ‘High Roller’ in 23 different clubs representing 54 licensed locations across New South Wales over the 12-month period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March this year.

The press release said about A$95 billion ($61.6 billion) of legal and illegal cash flowed annually through the slot machines of bars and clubs in New South Wales, making it “Australia’s gambling capital.”

The report said about 86,700 machines were active in the market during the study period.

Australian-listed slot machine maker Ariscrat Ledger is currently testing a new digital wallet for gaming with player safety and player supervision in New South Wales.

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