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ATG ASX: Star chair Anne Wards faces shareholder revolt at Redbubble owner Articore

The Queensland Government has deferred the final decision on this until June this year. Star further advised it expects to be sitting on a cash balance of just $79 million when it reports its half-year results next month, down from $149 million at the end of September 2024. Red screens spark fear, but the bigger picture and history tells investors to look beyond the moment. A win would put directors on notice that risk governance is a serious matter and they need to do more to earn their substantial fees. However, Chant West senior investment research manager Mano Mohankumar says most funds delivered returns to their members that beat widely accepted benchmarks. Grattan's modelling shows that Australians who draw down their super at the minimum rate when they retire will leave the equivalent of 65 per cent of their original super balance unspent by the age of 92. It found that half of those using account-based pensions draw their super down at the legislated minimum rate.
This includes a $100 million lifeline from its bank, and another $150 million debt facility through broker UBS. Both the New South Wales and Queensland Governments have ruled out direct financial support. As part of the review, Star's license to operate The Star Gold Coast was called into question.
But the collapse in revenue suggests the casino operator’s business model was inherently reliant on money-laundering. Strip that out, and what remains is a business that will likely not survive without a white knight. Its shares rallied (13.6%) after the casino operator confirmed it had received bids to buy out its stake in Brisbane's Queen's Wharf development, Lucky Ones instant payouts as it warned of "material uncertainty" about its future prospects. The collapse in earnings since fiscal 2024 has indicated Star might not have sufficient liquidity to stay afloat amidst near-term earnings headwinds, the AUSTRAC fine and equity contributions to redevelopment.
The façade came crashing down in August 2022 with the state government issuing a second casino license to Crown Resorts, ramping up competitive pressure. The company has told investors it has made a deal with its Hong Kong partners, surrendering its share in Queens Wharf. A Tax Calculator is provided below to assist shareholders in calculating the Australian capital gains tax cost base allocation for Tabcorp shares and The Star Brisbane QuickSpin Entertainment Group shares. The Tax Calculator is a general guide only and does not constitute tax advice. Shareholders should seek advice from an appropriate professional adviser on the tax implications of the Demerger based on their own individual circumstances. Based on a share price of $5.68, being the closing price of The Star Entertainment Group (SGR) shares on the Australian Securities Exchange on the Record Date, PlayZilla live poker games an Unmarketable Parcel was any holding of 88 shares or less. The financial crime watchdog says the court should disregard Roo Casino betting tips operator’s threat that it would collapse under the weight of a $400 million fine.
While former management has been blamed heavily, the company still has a lot of work to do to fix the business. However, the Bell Report underscores the NICC's concerns that it was not receiving all of the facts from The Star at a time when we needed certainty the company could fund and prioritise an urgent business turnaround. While most of the above listed companies have been fined by regulators, the consequences for individual directors have been limited or non-existent. And herein lies the problem – lack of accountability breeds inattention, indolence and recklessness.
Unfortunately, the scandal at Star Entertainment is not an isolated case of risk-governance failure. A royal commission found the directors of Crown Casino also failed properly to manage the risks of money-laundering. Bear in mind the handsome remuneration received by the directors to perform their oversight duties. The former chairman, John O’Neill, received a total of $484,500 in financial year 2021.
The distressed Star Entertainment will pay up to $10 million to a US hedge fund loyalty program for elite players a debt facility that was never used, or signed-off on. It notes that the high end of this range is based on the implementation of NSW casino duty rate increases as proposed by the NSW Government, whereas the low end of the range assumes no change in NSW casino duty rates. In light of this, slot payment methods Star expects to report underlying EBITDA of $195 million to $205 million during the first half. Though, it is worth noting that this excludes provisions for fines and one-off legal costs which will be treated as significant items. But with declining financials, it is becoming difficult for Star to meet the conditions to unlock any of these potential funds. According to separate reporting from The Aus, Star also needs to secure another $1.6 billion to refinance its Queen's Wharf facility in Brisbane.
United Workers Union casinos director Andrew Jones said the union had been supportive of the Star Brisbane through many of its hurdles. The deal has left employees with questions about the future of their jobs in the precinct. "At the core of the issue is the transfer of a major casino licence to a new ownership structure," he said. In exchange, Star would receive a $53 million cash injection and stakes in Gold Coast hotels near its casino there. A Queensland government spokesperson says the deal is subject to government approval.