He also mentioned that many employees were quitting the Brisbane casino to find jobs with better pay elsewhere in the city. AUSTRAC is reportedly seeking penalties of AU$400 million, which would fall in line with the AU$450 million fine paid by fellow operator Crown Resorts in 2023 for similar violations. Star’s casino licences for its Sydney and Gold Coast properties are suspended and both are under state-appointed management. And while Crown’s owner Blackstone is a very large private equity group, Bally’s is a relatively small outfit with a number of second and third-tier casinos dotted mostly around the US. Whether Bally’s and Mathieson have the stomach and the resources to financially double down on their Star bet remains to be seen. With their respective bargaining positions are so far apart, one would question whether Star and the regulator were ever in a position to reach a settlement.
