Former Star Entertainment Group chief executive Matt Bekier was fined A$700,000 and banned from managing any company for six years after a court found he failed to inform Star’s board about suspicious activity linked to the Chinese junket operator Suncity during 2018–2019.

Former Star chief legal and risk officer Paula Martin received a A$400,000 fine and a seven-year ban from managing a corporation for breaches tied to oversight failures and not fully disclosing risks related to Suncity and other money-laundering concerns.

The ruling links Star’s troubles to a broader pattern of crime-linked risks in the industry, echoing concerns about Crown Resorts and other operators.

Justice Michael Lee criticized Bekier and Martin for lacking insight into their wrongdoing and faulted Star’s board for governance failures and insufficient vigilance toward criminal risk.

The judge framed the penalties as evidence that the regulatory system is functioning, though he noted punishments could have been more severe for higher-level executives.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie condemned the decision, urging stronger oversight and the establishment of a national independent casino regulator to curb industry influence on government.

ASIC’s broader allegations about duties related to money laundering and criminal activity at Star casinos were not upheld against Star’s board in the court’s prior rulings.

The conduct included a misleading 2020 email to lender National Australia Bank about concerns that gamblers were using China UnionPay cards for gambling, in violation of a foreign card scheme rule.

The court criticized earlier lenient settlements as a factor reducing penalties for Bekier and Martin, labeling those deals as a 'light touch.'