Today, August 2, it was revealed that Star Entertainment Group, an Australian-based gambling and entertainment company, must pay a fine of AU$140,000, which is approximately US$92.000, to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Queensland’s gambling regulator, for “accepting credit card deposits and for distributing promotional material to players who were excluded from its casinos in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”
Entering a guilty plea:
In compliance with details offered by Yvette D’Ath, Queensland Attorney-General, Star Entertainment Group “entered a guilty plea with the Magistrates Court in March in relation to 11 offences, after which it was ordered to pay a fine of AU$140,000 and court costs of AU$3,250 (US$2.140).” In addition, the seven offences relate to the company welcoming credit bets of over AU$170,000, which is roughly US$112.000, between 2017 and 2022. In better words, the company failed to provide suitable controls regarding the Electronic Funds Transfer at the Point Of Sale (EFTPOS) machines, which led to players being able to use a credit card to deposit certain sums of money into their casino account, which possibly allowed players to gamble as much as they wanted without worrying about money.
As for the other 4 charges, they relate to The Star dispersing ads and promotional material to players they were aware or should have been aware of were barred or suspended from stepping foot into the casino. In addition, it occurred during February 2022.
Receiving regulator’s warnings several times:
Furthermore, the court heard that “The Star had been warned by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) a number of times about similar conduct in the past.” In this regard, D’Ath said: “Allowing credit betting and distributing promotional material to excluded persons are not acceptable ways for casinos to operate in Queensland. The authority to operate a casino is a privilege. In return, the community expects The Star, at an absolute minimum, to effectively control risks, such as gambling harm and money laundering. Ensuring public confidence in our casinos is a priority. That’s why we will continue to strengthen and enforce our casino laws. The regulator is closely monitoring all casinos operating in Queensland and will take action if they fall short of their requirements.”
What’s more, this latest penalty, follows a fine of AU$100 million, which is roughly US$66 million, which came in December 2022, imposed on the company by the Queensland government. The fine came in “response to the findings of the Gotterson review into the Queensland operations of The Star Entertainment Group.”