The Star Gold Coast licence suspension extended by a year
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The news: The suspension of The Star Gold Coast’s casino licence has been deferred until 30 September 2026, an extension of a year, following advice to the state government from special manager Nicholas Weeks.
Weeks’ appointment as special manager for The Star Gold Coast has also been extended to 30 September 2026 and the troubled casino operator is required to extend his appointment as The Star Brisbane’s external adviser.
The context: The state government said progress on The Star’s remediation plan in Queensland has made “steady progress” but it has been “slower than anticipated, due to The Star’s recent financial challenges and uncertainty”. This was highlighted in a report by Weeks.
In October 2022, a Queensland state government commissioned review of The Star’s operations in Queensland found it unsuitable to hold a casino licence or operate a casino.
Disciplinary action was implemented in December 2022 including a deferred 90 day suspension of The Star Gold Coast’s casino licence, $100 million in fines and the appointment of special manager Nicholas Weeks.
The Star’s first remediation plan was approved in October 2023 and amended in September 2024.
The news comes a day after it was announced that The Star Sydney’s casino licence would remain suspended to at least March 2026, a six month extension.
What they said: “We acknowledge there is more work to do, but we are pleased the Special Manager has recognised the steady progress on The Star’s remediation efforts, including those measures identified as key priorities,” The Star’s group CEO and managing director Steve McCann said.
Queensland’s acting Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said: “We will continue to closely monitor The Star’s remediation progress to ensure key milestones are met.”
“This deferral does not prevent us from taking immediate action should The Star fail to meet its remediation obligations,” Bleijie said.
