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James Packer's Barangaroo casino plans are back on the agenda

Billionaire casino magnate James Packer's plans to extend the Australian gaming industry have been brought back into focus.

That is according to The Australian, which claimed that Packer's recent return to Sydney will see the mogul ramp up his efforts to see the Barangaroo casino plan come into fruition.

The newspaper reports that Packer's Crown Casino group is now in "constant touch" with Echo Entertainment - of which Crown owns a ten per cent stake - with regard to the plans.

"Since John O'Neil replaced John Story as Echo chair, the campaign has changed from open hostilities to business-like civility," the news provider explained.

However, despite the regular discussions, a finalised deal is some way off, according to the report.

"It would seem that, while they are no doubt also in constant contact, they are certainly not yet joint-venture partners on anything to do with Echo," the paper added.

Packer is said to be looking to tap into the lucrative Asia-Pacific poker market, a move that will be boasted when the Crown hosts the World Series of Poker in 2013.