Star Entertainment Group has been fined by the Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming for accepting credit card deposits and sending promotional material to self-excluding gamblers.
According to details tendered by Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath, Star entered a guilty plea with the Magistrates Court in March of this year. This was in relation to 11 offences of which it has been found guilty. The company has now been ordered to pay a fine of AU$140,000 (€83,834) and court costs of AU$3,250 (€1,946).
Star Fined for Credit Card Breaches and Targeting of Self-Excluding GamblersThe remaining four charges were made in relation to the company’s targeting of gamblers who were self-excluding or banned from its casinos. According to court documents, the regulator stated that it had previously warned Star on multiple occasions about targeting self-excluding gamblers.
Speaking of the decision Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said:
Star Fined for Credit Card Breaches and Targeting of Self-Excluding GamblersThe authority to operate a casino is a privilege. In return, the community expects The Star, at an absolute minimum, to effectively control risks, such as gambling harm and money laundering.
Ensuring public confidence in our casinos is a priority. That’s why we will continue to strengthen and enforce our casino laws.
Star Fined for Credit Card Breaches and Targeting of Self-Excluding GamblersThe fine is the latest in a string of issues faced by Star throughout Australia. In October of last year the company was fined AU$100 million (€64 million) for license breaches that included allowing money laundering to take place at its Sydney casino.
The company is also facing a lawsuit filed by Australian law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on behalf of shareholders of the Star Entertainment Group (Star Casino). According to the firm, the class action alleges that Star breached disclosure obligations and acted against the best interests of the shareholders.
Image credit: John / CC BY-SA 2.0
