The Queensland casino inquiry was led by former Appeal Court judge Robert Gotterson (left).

The Queensland casino inquiry was led by former Appeal Court judge Robert Gotterson (left).Credit:AFR

The Star Entertainment Group operates The Star Gold Coast,Treasury Brisbane,and is due to open its Queen’s Wharf casino and resort in Brisbanein the second half of 2023.

Theeight-week NSW inquiry heard evidence from senior executives questioned about misleading conduct,VIP junkets,and failures to manage anti-money-laundering risks. Itfound Star was not fit to hold its Sydney licence.

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Star executives were dragged before public hearings in Brisbane in late August and in the face of overwhelming evidence of integrity shortfalls,they promised to review and overhaul their policies.

The Star inquiry - led by former Appeal Court Justice Robert Gotterson AO - concerned Star’s Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane casinos.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman confirmed she received Gotterson’s final report on Friday as scheduled,and said:“Cabinet will now consider the report.”

The Attorney-General’s office has vowed to make the full report public and that could happen as soon as Wednesday.

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However,Shadow Attorney-General Tim Nicholls was concerned the report would not paint the full picture.

“Gotterson was hamstrung by narrow terms of reference set by the Palaszczuk government ...[and] not able to investigate things like links between the Palaszczuk government,Labor lobbyists,unions and casinos,” he said.

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“The inquiry was not able to investigate serious allegations of criminal activity like money laundering or the failed operations of the Office of Gaming and Liquor.”

During the inquiry’s hearings,Star wasaccused of disguising gambling funds from Chinese high-rollers as room charges and misleading their bank when it raised concerns.

The scheme was used in Star’s Queensland casinos to the tune of $55 million over three years,and about $400 million in The Star Sydney over seven years.

Star was alsoaccused of offering incentives to suspected criminals who were banned from interstate casinos,to bring their business to Star’s Queensland venues.

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These included a $50,000 Rolex watch,dinners and cakes,use of Star’s private jet,tickets to shows such as Village People and John Farnham,and gift cards.

The inquiry also heard that facial recognition cameras - rolled out at The Star Sydney to help detect banned patrons -were meant to have been installed at both Queensland venues.

However,neither venue had the cameras. The time frame for The Star Gold Coast camera rollout could only be described as “soon”,while the rollout at Treasury Brisbane remained unknown.

The Star later told the inquiry that Queensland should follow NSW and push towardsmandatory carded gambling across all casinos,pubs and RSLs to help track gamblers’ spending.

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