Brisbane’s AU$3.6 billion ($2.5 billion) Queen’s Wharf opened on Thursday, August 29th, though concerns persist regarding the suitability of its chief partner, Star Entertainment Group, as a casino licensee.
Local news outlet ABC News reports that Star Brisbane Chief Executive Daniel Finch stated the company is making significant progress in meeting the state government’s standards for anti-money laundering and responsible gambling practices.
At the Queen’s Wharf launch, Finch announced that the new casino opened at 2pm local time on Thursday and stated that significant progress had been made in completing their remediation plan.
“We have a heightened focus on all of our anti-money laundering policies, procedures, internal control manuals, and measures, as well as counter-terrorism financing,” he said. “We are also concentrating on safer gambling and harm minimization. We now have an extensive team and protocols in place, and we are well on our way to demonstrating suitability.”
The future of Star Entertainment Group as a casino operator remains uncertain in both Queensland and New South Wales. In 2022, the state government imposed AU$100 million (US$68.1 million) in fines on Star due to “major failings” at its Queensland casinos in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
A show-cause notice regarding Star’s casino license was initially postponed to December 2023 and has since been delayed again until December this year to give the company time to develop an internal remediation plan.
Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development is being delivered by Destination Brisbane Consortium – a joint venture led by The Star Entertainment Group, alongside its Hong Kong-based partners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium.
Its casino is entitled to 2,500 gaming machines, though not all had been installed at launch.
Thursday’s opening follows the closure of the gaming venue at the Treasury Casino and Hotel Brisbane on Sunday; however, the Treasury Brisbane hotel remains open.
The first phase of Queen’s Wharf has added 340 hotel rooms to Brisbane’s accommodation options, with guests checking into The Star Grand hotel on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the Dorsett and Rosewood hotels are expected to open by the end of 2026.
The Sky Deck, offering expansive views of the river, CBD, and South Brisbane, opened to the public at 5 pm on the same day, along with the first of three restaurants located on the deck level.
