SYDNEY — Star Entertainment Group Ltd.
SGR,
has been fined 100 million Australian dollars (US$67.7 million) for the second time in less than two months over a range of issues including actively courting gamblers who were banned in other Australian states.
The ASX-listed casino and resort operator was also told Friday by the attorney-general of Australia’s Queensland state that casino licenses at two of its properties would be suspended if it didn’t take sufficient remedial action over its management and operations.
“It is clear that there have been major failings by the Star group and its entities. I was appalled at the extent of the actions of The Star in welcoming excluded persons to their casinos and the exorbitant incentives on offer for questionable gamblers,” said Shannon Fentiman, Queensland’s attorney-general.
In October, Star Entertainment was fined A$100 million in neighboring New South Wales after a state regulator found that vast sums of cash evaded anti-money-laundering protocols. It also found that Star offered free alcohol to VIPs as an inducement to gamble and allowed vulnerable patrons to bet for more than 24 hours at a time.
