Man charged following 'bomb scare' at Crown Casino

A 55-year-old man has been charged with making threats to kill after allegedly acting erratically and sparking a major emergency at Melbourne's Crown Casino.

Officers from the special operation group, critical response and bomb squad were called to the first floor of the Southbank complex after a man wearing a backpack was seen acting erratically yesterday afternoon.

An automated text message was sent to staff to evacuate, while movies playing at Crown’s Village Cinemas were stopped as dozens of terrified patrons ran for the exit.

It is alleged the man, a Malaysian national, made several threats but police are yet to reveal what they were.

Authorities carried out safety checks to determine what was inside the bag, but the area was eventually deemed safe.

"It was the way he was acting and behaving ... he complied with the police request when we arrested him," Acting Commander David Clayton told reporters.

The man was charged with making threats to kill, making false report to police and making false statements.

He has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later today.

The casino was declared safe and reopened hours after the incident.

"The issue was resolved peacefully with the assistance of Victorian Police," Crown Casino said in a statement.