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Queensland government to review Star´s casino licence suitability

Tuesday 14 de June 2022 / 12:37

brisbanetimes.com.au

⏱ 2 min read

(Australia).- The Queensland government will conduct a review into whether The Star Entertainment Group should keep its Brisbane and Gold Coast casino licences.

Queensland government to review Star´s casino licence suitability

Investigations by police and the state regulators into the casino giant’s anti-money laundering and exclusion processes have been under way for at least eight months, amid a lengthy NSW public inquiry which heard arguments it was not fit to hold a licence in that state.

The Queensland probe was prompted by revelations by 60 Minutes and this masthead. The NSW inquiry has over eight weeks heard evidence from senior executives and directors under questioning about misleading conduct, failures to manage anti-money laundering risks and VIP junkets.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said: “There will also be an independent expert review into the suitability of The Star to keep its casino licence.”

The terms of reference will be released after consideration by cabinet. It is unclear at this stage if the review will hold public hearings.

Queensland had been the only Australian jurisdiction with Star or Crown-run casinos not to have held inquiries or reviews following similar revelations about both operators in recent years.

Inquiries into Crown in Victoria and Western Australia have found the company unfit to hold its casino licences in those states, but did not strip them away. In NSW, Crown has been delayed from opening casino operations in its new Barangaroo site.

Star dominates that Queensland market, holding two of the state’s four operational licences, including The Star Gold Coast and Brisbane’s Treasury Casino. The latter will transfer to the new $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf development on its completion next year.

Under Queensland casino laws, licences can be cancelled or suspended if the holder, casino lessee or operator is convicted of an offence, breaches conditions of the licence, or has associated people deemed not “not suitable” under the Casino Control Act.

The laws also give Fentiman the power to call investigations into the suitability of licence holders.

Last month, the government moved to tighten regulation of the sector as a “proactive” response to interstate inquiries, which will allow the state to fine operators up to $50 million for breaches.

Introducing the proposed legislation to parliament, Racing Minister Grace Grace said the only existing disciplinary action available was to strip operators of their licences, a move that would have “major impacts on innocent parties” such as staff and local suppliers.

A parliamentary committee is considering the legislative changes and will hold a public hearing of its own next month.

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