Crown Resorts director Andrew Demetriou resigns from board

Crown Resorts director Andrew Demetriou has resigned from the board of the embattled gaming giant but has vowed to defend his reputation.

In a statement, Mr Demetriou said it was not an “easy decision” to step down and he had thought “carefully about taking this step”.

“I have always been a team player and supported the greater good. I will therefore step down from the Crown Resorts board to give Crown the best possible chance of becoming suitable to the NSW Regulator,” he said.

Two representatives of major shareholder, James Packer, resigned from Crown’s board on Wednesday, after the independent report highlighted the billionaire’s harmful influence over the group as a key reason it was unfit to hold the licence to its casino at Barangaroo.

Commissioner Bergin’s report into Crown Resorts – released on Tuesday following an explosive 18-month public inquiry – found that Crown had facilitated money laundering at its Melbourne and Perth casinos, partnered with figures linked to organised crime, and disregarded the safety of staff in China before 19 were arrested there in 2016.

Mr Demetriou said it had been an “honour” to serve on the Crown board and had confidence a licence for the new casino would eventually be granted.

“Crown is a great company, with outstanding people who serve the company well. Barangaroo will be a magnificent addition to the Sydney landscape and I look forward to when it is fully operational,” he said.