Queensland Defers the Star Gold Coast License Suspension
The Queensland Government has announced that it will defer the suspension of The Star Gold Coast's casino license until the end of September. The decision was made just one day after regulators in New South Wales (NSW) extended by six months the suspension of The Star Sydney's license. The move highlights differences in approach between the two jurisdictions toward oversight of The Star Entertainment Group.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:In 2022, the NSW Independent Casino Commission chose to suspend The Star Sydney's license and place its operations under the control of an appointed manager, Nicholas Weeks. In Queensland, however, the state's regulators have not formally suspended The Star's licenses.
Related: NICC Extends The Star Sydney's Casino License SuspensionInstead, Weeks was appointed Special Manager to oversee the company's operations in the state. His role includes monitoring the operator's compliance and ensuring that remediation efforts are carried out effectively.
The Queensland Government issued a statement confirming that the one-year deferral follows independent advice from Weeks. His latest report noted that The Star has demonstrated continuous improvement in its remediation efforts.
These measures include implementing governance and compliance reforms that were previously identified as priority actions by regulators. The government emphasized that the additional time will allow the operator to embed these changes more fully into its operations.
Despite acknowledging the progress, however, Weeks reported that the pace of reform is not advancing as expected. He cited financial pressures on the company as well as broader uncertainty facing The Star as factors that have hindered the timeline for remediation.
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The challenges facing Star have impacted the company's ability to deliver on all obligations as quickly as regulators initially expected. The 12-month extension to the deferral period is intended to provide The Star Gold Coast with an opportunity to complete certain obligations under its remediation plan.
Queensland's Acting Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, and Minister for Integrity, Jarrod Bleijie, reinforced that the government expects casino operators in the state to conduct themselves in accordance with high ethical standards. He stated that authorities will continue to monitor The Star's progress closely to ensure that important milestones are achieved.
He also stressed that the deferral won't prevent regulators from taking immediate enforcement action if the company fails to comply with its remediation commitments.
The Star Group CEO and Managing Director Steve McCann admitted that more work remains to be done. He welcomed the Special Manager's recognition of progress and emphasized that the operator remains committed to transparent engagement with regulators.
McCann stated that The Star aims to prove its suitability as a license holder to stakeholders, regulators, and the Queensland Government by fulfilling its obligations and continuing reforms.
Star's efforts to remediate governance and compliance issues have been ongoing since regulatory inquiries in both NSW and Queensland identified deficiencies in operations. The company has since been required to undertake a comprehensive reform program, including oversight by external managers and advisors.
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