A large number of electronic gaming machines were taken offline at Perth's casino in the weeks leading up to Blackstone's takeover of the disgraced Crown Resorts empire on Friday, gamblers have reported.
One gambler said he was not given an answer when he asked staff why the machines, which have a number in the hundreds, could not be played in recent weeks.
The machines - including the All Aboard, Bull Rush and Go West games - displayed an official sign that this machine is unavailable for play. The machines were based in different sections of the casino, including the high-roller Pearl Room.
The gambler said that when he went to the casino on Friday, the US equity giant got the keys to Crown's casinos in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, the machines were online and being played.
More than $306 million were brought in last financial year by the EGMs, which is the biggest source of gaming revenue for the Perth casino.
A spokeswoman for Crown Resorts said the gaming machines had been removed and a potential technical issue had to be investigated, according to a Crown Resorts spokeswoman.
She said the machines had been cleared by their manufacturer, as well as accredited testing facilities, and would be returned to service after consultation with the regulators.
EGMs are tested and certified by accredited facilities to find out if they meet all kinds of requirements, including regulatory rules set by state casino watchdogs like the speed of play and return to the player.
A minimum of 90 per cent must be returned to players in the rules outlined in the WA appendix to the national standards.
A Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries spokeswoman said the Gaming and Wagering Commission, the Gaming and Wagering Commission, will inspect machines and report from the testing facilities before the machines can go online again.
She said Crown had advised them that the EGMs were taken offline due to a suspected issue relating to that particular machine. The GWC always applies an enforcement lens to these sorts of notifications, making sure there is integrity in relation to EGMs in that they comply with the relevant national standards and WA's appendix to the national standards.
She said the issue did not relate to the rate of returns to players.