James Packer's Crown Resorts says all its staff who have been detained in China since October have now been charged with offences relating to the promotion of gambling.
Employees who had been released on bail had also been charged, it said in a statement to the ASX. Their cases have been referred to the Baoshan District Court.
More World News Videos
Australian Crown staff detained in China
Three Australians, including one senior executive, are among 18 employees to be detained. (Video courtesy ABC News 24)
Crown said no further comment would be made as the matter was now before the courts.
A total of 18 Crown employees – including Australians Jason O'Connor, Jerry Xuan and Pan Dan, Malaysian Alfread Gomez and 14 Chinese nationals – were detained in a co-ordinated police operation across several Chinese cities on October 13 and 14 targeting the gaming giant's marketing activities in China.
Mr O'Connor, who is among the casino company's top executives, headed up a program designed to entice "high roller" gamblers to Crown Casino in Melbourne.
The arrests came amid a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown in mainland China targeting the illicit flow of capital overseas through underground banks and casinos, particularly in the gaming enclave of Macau. Following the crackdown, overseas casinos stepped in aggressively to court the lucrative business of high-worth Chinese gamblers – known as 'whales' – who now avoid Macau.
While casinos are not allowed to legally advertise in mainland China, most foreign operators sidestep the ban by promoting the resorts and cities where the casinos are located.
Officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Tuesday confirmed the government was providing "consular assistance to three Australian Crown employees detained in Shanghai".
![The arrests came amid a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown in mainland China targeting the illicit flow of capital ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170615193352im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/n/w/3/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwpuvp.png/1497374632258.jpg)
Charges laid earlier than expected
The charges have been laid against the Crown staff earlier than had been expected under China's typically protracted legal process. This could indicate a resolution to the Crown staff ordeal may also be reached sooner than had originally been expected.
However, a Chinese source cautioned against reading the situation as good or bad.
![James Packer with Leonardo DiCaprio: Crown completed the sale of its stake in Melco Crown last month, and Mr Packer sold ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170615193352im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/c/z/s/s/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwpuvp.png/1497366623379.jpg)
A court date has been set for June 26.
As expected, the staff face charges of promotion of gambling, not the more serious offence of money laundering.
Fire sale
The detention of Crown staff contributed to a move by its billionaire controlling shareholder, Mr Packer, to torch his global expansion strategy and sparked an asset sale process that has yet to end.
Crown completed the sale of its stake in Melco Crown last month, and the company's new executive chairman, John Alexander, is slashing costs - and some of the VIP gambler's toys - in its Australian business.
Crown has also abandoned expansion plans in Las Vegas and put a For Sale sign on the land it purchased there.
Mr Packer also sold out of his Hollywood movie production business, Ratpac, earlier this year, as well as shares in Noni B he picked up in 2016 when he sold his Pretty Girl fashion business to the retailer.
One asset still festering in Mr Packer's portfolio is his substantial stake in embattled broadcaster Ten Network. Mr Packer has refused to extend the guarantee over Ten's debt facility that he provided in 2015 with Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon.
Class action
Crown's shares slumped 14 per cent when news of the arrests emerged last year, wiping more than $1.3 billion from Crown's market capitalisation. After plumbing lows of $10.40 following the arrests, the shares were trading at $12.85 on Tuesday morning.
The company is now facing a potential class action, led by Maurice Blackburn.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers class action principal Julian Schimmel said in February the arrests were significant for their impact on Crown's future revenue from VIP gaming, particularly with an expected decline in VIP patronage at Crown's casinos.
Mr Schimmel said Crown should have known it was possible that it could run into trouble with Chinese authorities following the arrests of staff from two South Korean gaming companies marketing junkets in China in June 2015.
The amount shareholders will be seeking is at this stage unknown but it is expected to be in line with some of Australia's largest shareholder class actions, which have generally been in excess of $100 million.
with staff reporters