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The NSW gaming regulator has formally requested Crown Resorts to delay plans to conduct a 'limited opening' of its new $2.2 billion Sydney casino in December.

In an announcement to the press this afternoon, Philip Crawford of the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority said they would rather wait until the report of the current inquiry into the gaming giant is handed down.

The report is due in late January or early February 2021. The inquiry is into allegations Crown-held accounts were used for money laundering operations.

READ MORE:Crown Melbourne investigated for potential money laundering breaches

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'We are hopeful that Crown Resorts will agree to our request to postpone opening of all gaming activities, which would be unable to begin without approval of these regulatory matters,' Mr Crawford said.

Video: ILGA 'not comfortable' with Crown commencing gaming operations (ABC NEWS)

'The Authority has found ongoing evidence before the Bergin Inquiry to be extremely concerning, and that any gaming activity at the casino before the Inquiry's findings are released in February 2021 and considered by the Authority would pose unacceptable risks on the community against the public interest.

'In light of this, we did not consider it appropriate to determine the applications before the Authority until the findings of the Bergin Inquiry.'

READ MORE: James Packer admits 'some' responsibility for arrest of Crown staff

Mr Crawford said ILGA is prepared to work with Crown to explore options that may enable the opening of non-gaming areas including accommodation, restaurants, bars and entertainment areas next month.

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More to come.

Crown Resorts and major shareholder James Packer are not suitable to hold the licence to operate Sydney's new $2.2 billion casino, an inquiry has been told.

The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority's inquiry was triggered last year after media reports the company had been doing business with 'junket' operators linked to organised crime.

'The evidence presented to this inquiry demonstrates that the licensee is not a suitable person to continue to give affect to the licence,' Counsel Assisting Adam Bell said in final submissions on Wednesday.

Mr Bell said the influence of billionaire and major shareholder James Packer and his private company Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH) contributed to the arrest of Crown staff in China in 2016 for promoting gambling.

'It's submitted that the impact of that influence put Crown Resorts in breach of its regulatory agreements with the authority,' Mr Bell said.

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'In those instances the adverse impact of CPH and Mr Packer, we submit, was ultimately harmful to the public interest, which is a primary object of the Casino Control Act to protect.'

The inquiry has also examined whether Crown's NSW licence was violated when CPH attempted to sell 19.99 per cent of its stock to Melco Resorts last year.

Melco was run by the son of since-deceased Macau gambling king Stanley Ho, with whom Crown was banned from associating by the NSW government.

Mr Bell said a common theme in the China arrests and Melco transfer was the 'deleterious impact' on the governance of Crown caused by its 'dominant shareholder, CPH and ultimately Mr Packer'.

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The casino at Barangaroo is set to open in December but the head of the inquiry, Commissioner Patricia Bergin, isn't expected to hand down a final report until February 1.

Conditions may be placed on the gaming giant or it could be prevented from operating the casino.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would seek 'urgent advice' on the matter and did not rule out asking Crown to push back their opening date.

Mr Packer owns 36.8 per cent of Crown through his private company but has previously conceded he might have to sell some of his stake.

Crown in October issued an apology to shareholders for governance and risk management failures raised during the inquiry.

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