Australia’s Star Casino Fined for Allowing Minor Players

Australia’s Star Casino has been slapped a penalty of $90,000 for allowing minors to involve in gambling and serving them alcohol. One of the three identified minors is a a 12-year-old girl, daughter of Chinese parents visiting Australia. Her parents brought her in to play the pokies.

The girl’s mother escaped the security check by holding open an exit door as patrons came out and led her to the main gaming floor.

On the gaming floor, the minor girl managed to  place 21 bets on various poker machines before security personnel intervened.

NSW Independent Liquor & Authority Chair, Philip Crawford, said:

“It’s quite staggering that the young girl’s parents facilitated her entry in such a deceptive manner, let alone allowed their daughter to gamble. However, not only did The Star fail to manage the risk, once the child was on the gaming floor, there were a number of opportunities where staff should have noticed a very young person playing the poker machines – well before they actually did which was when the family was leaving,” Mr Byrne said.

There have been two similar incidents: one involving a 16-year-old girl who came with a middle-aged male “platinum” member and another involving a 17-year-old boy who entered on his own with a provisional license.

The casino self-reported all the three incidents, which happened between March and July 2019.