The land-based Australian casino gambling scene has been in the international news of late.  Making headlines this week were substantial rumors that casino gaming regulator, Stephen Howells, was stepping down from his post as Chairman of the Independent Gambling Authority. Following a string of attacks on the Gambling Commissioner last month for falling short on enforcement protocols, Howells may be "letting it all out" before his departure. When asked about the speculation of his departure, Howells said he would not talk about the issue.

The rest of the spotlight has been going to media guru and Australia's richest man, James Packer, who apparently is making a "Wynn-esque" surge on Las Vegas, and focusing his deceased father's business assets on its casino gambling interests. Packer now has three projects planned as part of a joint partnership with Melco Entertainment, which incidentally, is run by the son of Macau casino gaming kingpin, Stanley Ho. Notwithstanding the scrutiny that such as partnership will go under, Packer has already made purchase agreements with the developer of the former Wet 'n Wild water park on the Strip to build his signature Crown casino brand.

Packer's media company, Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd. already owns and manages the Crown Macau Casino and Australia's popular Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne and Burswood International in Perth. The Crown Macau Casino was only recently opened in Macau, and is valued at over $540 Million. The Crown Casino in Las Vegas will apparently be operated by a newly formed subsidiary of Publishing and Broadcasting, Crown Ltd.

Packer has already put up $22.5 million for a 37.5% stake in the holding company (LTVI) that is staking claim to the valuable Strip real estate where Wet 'n Wild once operated for twenty years (closing in 2004). LTVI's owner, Christopher Milam, who is planning to build an 1,888 foot hotel tower on the site, has confirmed the partnership with Crown Ltd. as well as other investors on the project, including private equity firm, New York Capital Management. Packer has also acquired a 20% stake after making a $300 million investment in the Fontainebleau Resort Casino, which is to be built directly next door to Crown Las Vegas.

Now, all that Packer needs to obtain is a casino license from the Nevada Gaming Commission. Chairman Dennis Neilander said that Packer has not applied just yet, and that applications are normally handed in two years ahead of opening casino doors. Neilander said the Commission would certainly scrutinize the relationship with Stanley Ho's son, Lawrence, much like they did with the MGM Mirage who entered in a partnership with Ho's daughter, Pansy, to build a casino in Macau. Because of Stanley Ho's alleged involvement with organized crime, the Commission must be certain that Parker does not have any ties or involvement in that regard.