Melco Resorts Puts Off Acquiring Crown Shares Following Investigation into the Deal
Recently updated on January 28th, 2026
Melco Resorts and Entertainment, an Asian casino operator, has put off the purchase of a large portion of shares in Crown Resorts. This follows an announcement by the NSW, New South Wales, which is the governing body for Independent Liquor & Gaming, that it is investigating the business deal. On Wednesday, Melco Resorts announced that they have come to an agreement with Crown Holdings to put the brakes on the deal. They stated that the acquisition has been put off from September 30th until 60 days after the inquiry has concluded.
Melco Resorts revealed that in May, it had already reached an agreement with Crown Holdings, owned by James Packer. The agreement stated that for Melco to obtain a 19.99% stake in Crown Resorts, it would have to pay a total amount of AU$1.76 billion (NZD $1.87 billion). The deal was set to be completed through two payments, with one taking place in June and the other by September. Due to the recent NSW investigation, the other payment, which is the second one, has now been delayed.
Details of the Melco Resorts and Crown Resorts Deal
In their agreement, both Melco Resorts and Crown Resorts have agreed to finalise the deal. According to some reports, the purchase agreement can be extended. Currently, the first batch of shares, which amounts to 67,675,000, was purchased by Melco, giving the company a 10% stake in Crown.
It has now emerged that if the results of the investigation are undesirable to Melco or Crown, then the deal may be abandoned.
Reason for Inquiry
The NSW Authority for Independent Liquor & Gaming is said to be investigating the agreement between Melco Resorts and Crown Resorts based on the Melco Chairperson having links to Stanley Ho, known for owning 19 casinos in Macau. This is because Crown Resorts is banned from doing business with Stanley Ho.
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Published by Taralynn
January 28, 2026
Categorie(s): Latest News, New Zealand, North Island, South Island
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Taralynn Engels is a seasoned casino news writer with a passion for keeping her readers up-to-date with the latest happenings in the gambling industry. With over five years of professional writing experience, Taralynn has developed a deep understanding of the casino industry and a knack for delivering engaging and informative content.
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Melco Resorts and Entertainment, an Asian casino operator, has put off the purchase of a large portion of shares in Crown Resorts. This follows an announcement by the NSW, New South Wales, which is the governing body for Independent Liquor & Gaming, that it is investigating the business deal. On Wednesday, Melco Resorts announced that they have come to an agreement with Crown Holdings to put the brakes on the deal. They stated that the acquisition has been put off from September 30th until 60 days after the inquiry has concluded.
