The newspaper report hinting of collusion by Crown Ltd. billionaire-owner James Packer has generated undue interest from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

In a newspaper report by the Australian Financial Review,  Echo Entertainment Group Ltd. chair John O'Neill was quoted as saying that Packer talked to him about withholding any protest over the plan of Crown to build a US $1.2 billion casino in Sydney.

While the ACCC has a running policy against commenting on issues that may warrant a probe, spokesman Duncan Harrod nevertheless said that the regulating body "will always consider matters that raise issues such as are alleged in the article."

The quote attributed to Parker was already renounced by Crown as false.

Crown is set to enter the final stages to win government approval for its plan to build a hotel and casino in Sydney. Echo is proposing a similar project and if the company loses out to Crown for the exclusive rights, it will have to contend with Crown's scraps.