Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman says there will be consequences should gambling giant The Star be found unfit to hold its two-state casino licences. It’s the clearest signal yet for the reason behind a push to toughen penalties against the sector.
The state moved last month to introduce fines of up to $50 million for operators found in breach of regulations – beyond the lease and licence-based sanctions available – but avoided by other states that have found competitor Crown unfit.
Fentiman was pressed on the issue after fresh questions were raised by this masthead about the company’s efforts to court blacklisted gamblers from other states and a lack of police action to issues banning notices of their own.
She described the reports as “incredibly concerning” and said details aired by a NSW inquiry into Star’s suitability to hold a licence in that state was a key reason her government was launching a similar review.
Terms of reference are expected to be made public next week,but it remains unclear if public hearing — a major feature of the NSW probe and similar inquiries into Crown in Perth,Melbourne and Sydney — will be held.
Separate investigations by Queensland police,regulators and national anti-money laundering agency AUSTRAC are ongoing.
Asked about potential penalties for adverse findings,Fentiman pointed to moves in Victoria where a special manager is overseeing Crown operations to give the company two years to “get their house in order”,rather than set off the broader impacts of a licence revocation.
“We will wait and see what this independent review brings back,but if they’re deemed not to be suitable there will be consequences,” Fentiman said.