The Queensland state government has again deferred by six months the suspension of The Star Gold Coast’s casino license, citing progress made in Star’s remediation requirements and implementation of a range of organizational and financial reforms.
The license had been due to be suspended for 90 days from 30 September 2026 for massive compliance failures uncovered during the first of two inquiries held by the NSW government into The Star Sydney. This is the seventh time the suspension has been deferred.
In a statement, the Queensland government said the latest deferral follows careful consideration of the latest independent advice from Special Manager, Nicholas Weeks, whose term has also been extended for six months until 31 March 2027. It noted that in his latest August Report, Weeks acknowledged Star had made significant progress across its key remediation and reform initiatives, albeit with several priority remediation matters remaining in progress.
The six-month deferral allows Star to continue progressing the outstanding commitments identified in its remediation plan, the government explained. The deferral also allows the Special Manager to continue independently observing the implementation of remediation measures and the effectiveness of reforms, to inform future decisions regarding the casino’s operations.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said, “We have continued to set clear expectations for The Star to ensure the utmost integrity of Queensland’s casino operations.
“Those expectations remain unchanged, and while I acknowledge the work of The Star to date, this extension will allow The Star to further demonstrate its delivery on key remediation commitments under the agreement.
“Queenslanders can have full confidence that we will take immediate action if The Star fails to deliver on its obligations.”
The deferral comes amid talk that the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) is set to declare The Star Sydney suitable and reinstate its casino license within weeks, with NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford having told a parliamentary committee meeting last week he was satisfied with the efforts of Star’s new-look management team under the ownership of Bally’s Corp and Investment Holdings Pty Ltd, and with the improved relationship between the operator and the regulatory body.
However, another media report this week suggested that the Federal Court is finally set to hand down its decision within days in regard to legal action taken by financial crimes regulator AUSTRAC against Star Entertainment Group.
While the size of any penalty is not yet known, local rival Crown Resorts in 2023 reached a AU$450 million (US$316 million) settlement agreement with AUSTRAC in relation to similar failures.
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