Public hearings of the inquiry into The Star Entertainment Group’s Queensland casinos have heard “one of the top 10 table players” at its Gold Coast venue had been banned by police from casinos in two other states.
The third day of the public hearings of Robert Gotterson’s inquiry into patrons was a continuation of those who were questioned about their connections to Calabrian organised crime groups. Called Person Two, the patron was excluded from venues in New South Wales and Victoria by police commissioners, but was allowed to continue gambling in Queensland until “some time later.”
It was revealed that the patron had been banned from two Melbourne casinos in December 2014 as well as a New South Wales casino in 2015; however, no group-wide license was granted until January 2021.
The Star’s General Manager of Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Financing Compliance Howard Steiner acknowledged the failures of the compliance strategy during the hearing, but added that there is a “culture of the past that does not exist today.”
Steiner noted: “I think we’ve addressed that cultural change within The Star and our culture like that is a vestige of the past.”
During the inquiry, The Star also admitted that it wasn’t entirely truthful with Queensland regulators when it changed a policy in order to conceal AU$55m (US$38.4m) in prohibited gambling transactions from a Chinese bank.
To conceal this practice, the operator altered its financial transaction rules for 2016 and allowed China UnionPay cardholders cash withdrawals at Brisbane and Gold Coast casino. But, it recorded transactions such as hotel purchases with National Australia Bank.
Although gambling with debit cards is legal in China, it is illegal to use them for state-sponsored purposes.
Spreadex Limited will pay £1.4m ($1.6m) after an investigation in the UK led by the Gambling Commission revealed social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures. The settlement was reached with the Commission .
Ladbrokes International, Bet365, MGM Resorts International. Throughout the gambling trade, these names are famed, synonymous with the phrase ‘titans of industry.’ People have known for decades who these businesses were and what they do.