One More Queensland Casino Charged Over Illegitimate Junket Operations

Following a probe by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) lasting over 9 months, North Queensland casino The Ville Casino in Townsville has been charged with violating the state’s gambling regulations.

Another Queensland Casino Faces Charges Over Illegitimate Junket Operations

Just after Queensland casino – the Reef Hotel Casino – in Cairns was found guilty of breaches against Queensland’s gambling regulations regarding a junket collaboration, ABC News has reported that The Ville Casino in Townsville is facing very similar charges in a new legal case against it.

OLGR reported that the casino has breached two sections of the Casino Control Act so the regulator has filed a lawsuit against it. The case will be heard at the Townsville Magistrates Court at the beginning of next year. 

In August, following investigations into more than a few Australian casinos such as  The Star Sydney, The Star Gold Coast, The Crown Melbourne, The Crown Perth, and The Crown Sydney for alleged illegitimate junket operations, revelations were made for similar discrepancies at the North Queensland casino The Ville Casino, which is situated in Townsville.

Back then it was uncovered that Lawrence Fu, a Melbourne-based restaurant owner, has been bringing wealthy Asian customers to the Ville in an arrangement very similar to a junket partnership. Fu received cash payments amounting to thousands of dollars as he brought groups to gamble at the Townsville casino, which effectively means that he worked as an informal junket agent.

Allegedly the scheme at The Ville was launched after investigations and inquiries were started at Star Entertainment and Crown Resorts in order to attract the high-roller Asians who could no longer use their services.

OLGR Is Cracking Down on Queensland Casinos

According to the gambling laws in Queensland, any junket-like partnership that casinos enter into has to obtain prior approval from the authorities. This is done to have better control over the gambling sector and to keep criminals away from the industry.

The Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns is already facing a fine of AUD 10,000 ($6,720), which goes to show that the Queensland state gambling regulator is taking matters seriously. The Ville can expect a similar treatment once court proceedings start and could be facing the same or even a larger fine. 

All these developments come as a backdrop of the big news that Star Entertainment has received one more fine of AUD 100 million ($67.7 million) from Queensland authorities. The new fine is in connection to Gotterson Review and the investigation into The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane.