Australia’s corporate regulator went to the Federal Court on Wednesday seeking an A$1.3m fine and an eight-year directorship ban against former Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier, according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) argued that Bekier, who ran the troubled casino group from April 2014 to March 2022, had shown neither remorse nor understanding of his failings.
Without those, counsel for ASIC told Justice Michael Lee, the public needed protection from Bekier holding another senior executive post.
The court had ruled against Bekier in March, finding he had breached his duties by keeping his board in the dark about deeply troubling conduct at the casino. The same ruling went against Paula Martin, Star’s former general counsel.
The misconduct related to Suncity, a Chinese junket operator and Star’s single largest source of VIP gambling revenue. In the 2017 financial year alone, Suncity channelled A$2.1bn into the casino group.
The arrangement was enormously profitable, but it was also rotten.
Between 2018 and 2019, Suncity staff at Star’s premises were observed accepting cash deliveries in cardboard boxes and cooler bags at the service desk. Other staff concealed themselves beneath blankets to avoid surveillance cameras.
An inquiry learned that Bekier knew; the Star board didn’t.
Bekier and Martin were also aware that Star had given misleading information to National Australia Bank in 2020.
They understated concerns that gamblers were using China UnionPay cards for transactions that the foreign card scheme expressly prohibited. Again, the board was not told, according to the inquiry.
Suncity’s owner, Alvin Chau, is now serving time in a prison in Macau for money laundering, connections to a Macau triad, illegal gambling, fraud and running a criminal organisation.
Bekier didn’t mean to break the law, says attorney
Counsel for Bekier, Justin Williams SC, told the court an 18-month ban was more proportionate. His client had not acted with intent, he said, and the contraventions had not caused demonstrable loss to Star.
Even if Bekier had behaved correctly, Williams argued, the 2022 Bell Inquiry, the subsequent loss of Star’s licence and an A$100m casino regulator fine would still have followed.
Justice Lee was visibly sceptical about treating the absence of remorse as a neutral factor, according to the AAP, noting it created perverse incentives for defendants planning to appeal.
ASIC sought an A$1.1m fine and a seven-year ban for Martin. Lee has not contested the proposed disqualification period.
Two former executives settled earlier. Greg Hawkins, the former chief casino officer, paid $180,000 and accepted an 18-month ban in February of last year. Former CFO Harry Theodore paid $60,000 and was barred for nine months.
Star itself paid A$150m to ASIC in February 2023 to resolve anti-money laundering contraventions.
The company has been under sustained regulatory pressure ever since.
The New South Wales Independent Casino Commission stripped Star of its Sydney licence in October 2022, placing the venue under an independently appointed manager, Nicholas Weeks.
That arrangement has been extended repeatedly, most recently to March 2026, after regulators concluded Star had not yet earned back the right to run its own operations.
Queensland deferred the suspension of the Gold Coast licence to September 2026. Star reported a net loss of A$472m for the 2025 financial year.
The hearings continue on Thursday.
