• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Wednesday 21 May 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Star CEO Robbie Cooke steps down with immediate effect amid ongoing suitability concerns

Ben Blaschke by Ben Blaschke
Fri 22 Mar 2024 at 17:30
2022 Asian Gaming Power 50: Ones to watch

Robbie Cooke

91
SHARES
2.3k
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Australia’s Star Entertainment Group announced late Friday that its Group CEO and Managing Director, Robbie Cooke, will step down immediately as the company extends its efforts to win back its casino license amid a second review into its suitability.

The company revealed by way of an ASX filing that it had determined the continuation of Cooke’s leadership was “not going to be conducive to the NSW independent Casino Commission (NICC) determining to find the star capable of becoming suitable to hold a casino license in New South Wales.” Cooke had only been in the role since October 2022, having replaced former CEO Matt Bekier in the wake of the Bell inquiry into Star’s suitability.

According to Star, Cooke will be replaced on an interim basis by chairman David Foster while the search for a new CEO takes place.

“Robbie has worked tirelessly since he joined … focusing on stabilizing the operations, resolving a number of existential threats to the business, addressing separate remediation demands from regulators and rebuilding the management team and systems, including the addition of more senior risk, compliance and financial crime executives and the commencement of our culture transformation.

“Robbie shared in a resolve to put safe responsible and ethical gaming at the core of what we do. We remain absolutely committed to being judged suitable to hold a casino license in NSW and Queensland.

“In taking on executive duties, I am determined that the positive momentum at the Star continues as we work to win back the trust of our stakeholders. The many thousands of people working across the company deserve stability and security, and together they all continue to do great things to get the business back on track.”

In a separate announcement, Star also revealed the departure of Christina Katsibouba as Group Chief Financial Officer after nine years with the company. Katsibouba will be succeeded by Neale O’Connell, who will join The Star as Interim Group CFO on 25 March 2024. O’Connell was previously Global CFO of Corporate Travel Management and Group CFO at Tatts Group.

The departure of Cooke and Katsibouba comes after the NICC recently announced it would hold a second Bell inquiry into the company’s suitability, citing concerns over the effectiveness of its remediation efforts.

RelatedPosts

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 06:16
Trade union warns massively increased casino pokies tax in NSW will cost jobs

Pub baron Bruce Mathieson agrees additional AU$100 million Star investment, reduces Bally’s contribution to AU$200 million

Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:40
10 years ago: China Syndrome

Bally’s acquisition of Star described as risky with likely need for further capital investment

Tue 8 Apr 2025 at 06:18
Death by a thousand cuts

Star Entertainment Group agrees AU$300 million rescue deal with Bally’s

Mon 7 Apr 2025 at 13:23
Load More
Tags: AustraliaNSW Independent Casino CommissionRobbie CookeStar Entertainment Groupsuitability
Share36Share6
Ben Blaschke

Ben Blaschke

A former sports journalist in Sydney, Australia, Ben has been Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming since early 2016. He played a leading role in developing and launching IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017 and oversees as well as being a key contributor to all of IAG’s editorial pursuits.

Current Issue

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

by Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 23:04

After enjoying a post-COVID surge in gaming revenues at its licensed casinos, the Philippines has hit a rocky patch. In...

Inside Thai IRs

Inside Thai IRs

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:59

No time to read this whole article? Here are the bullet points! With passage of Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill through...

Resorts World Las Vegas – Lighting up the north

Resorts World Las Vegas – Lighting up the north

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:52

Inside Asian Gaming recently visited Genting’s American icon Resorts World Las Vegas to take a closer look at a property...

A baccarat perspective

A baccarat perspective

by Ryan Hong-Wai Ho
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:37

In the first of a two-part series, Ryan Ho explores how gaming innovations and market changes have shaped the prominence...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
Nustar
Jumbo

Related Posts

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

by Newsdesk
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 06:16

Star Entertainment Group confirmed Monday it had entered into a binding term sheet with US casino operator Bally’s Corp to take control of the company as part of a US$300 million (US$180 million) deal. The term sheet, comprising a multi-tranche...

China-owned contractor of Chow Tai Fook’s Baha Mar ordered to pay US$1.6 billion to original owner for “many acts of fraud”

New York appellate court dismisses China Construction America’s appeal in US$1.6 billion Baha Mar fraud case

by Ben Blaschke
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:59

A New York court has dismissed an appeal by China Construction America, Inc (CCA) against a Supreme Court ruling in October requiring it to pay US$1.6 billion to the original owner of Bahamas casino resort Baha Mar for committing “many acts...

Trade union warns massively increased casino pokies tax in NSW will cost jobs

Pub baron Bruce Mathieson agrees additional AU$100 million Star investment, reduces Bally’s contribution to AU$200 million

by Ben Blaschke
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:40

Star Entertainment Group’s largest individual shareholder Investment Holdings Pty Ltd has entered into a binding term sheet with US casino operator Bally’s Corp that will see it subscribe for AU$100 million (US$60 million) in convertible bonds, reducing in the process...

RWLV names former MGM executive Greg Shulman as EVP of International Marketing

RWLV names former MGM executive Greg Shulman as EVP of International Marketing

by Newsdesk
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:35

Genting Group’s US flagship Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) has announced the appointment of casino industry veteran Greg Shulman as Executive Vice President of International Marketing. Continuing the property’s recent management overhaul, RWLV said Shulman will lead its international casino...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English