Crown Resorts has been hit with a record $80 million [US$57 million] fine over its illegal practice of accepting Chinese bank cards at its Melbourne casino to fund gambling and disguising the transactions as hotel expenses.

The gambling giant processed $164 million in China UnionPay card payments and netted more than $32 million in revenue through the scam between 2012 and 2016. The matter came to light last year during Victoria’s royal commission into the group.

The newly formed Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission said on Monday afternoon that it would impose an $80 million fine on the James Packer-backed group over the scandal.

It is the first time Victoria has hit Crown with a fine of more than $1 million after the state increased the maximum possible penalty it could impose to $100 million last year following the explosive royal commission.