The Queensland government is under increasing pressure to widen an inquiry into casino operations after the state's gambling regulator confirmed it was investigating an "illegal junket operation" at The Ville Casino and Resort in Townsville.
The Channel 9 program 60 Minutes has reported The Ville paid an alleged illegal junket operator "in cash and loyalty points" to bring "high rollers" to the Townsville casino.
The state government said the allegations were serious and an investigation by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) was underway.
In a statement, The Ville said there were factual inaccuracies in the reports and the casino operated lawfully.
The Cairns Reef Hotel Casino has also been included in the allegations of unlawful high-roller junkets and has been contacted for comment.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was unaware of the allegations and that she would "look into that".
Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said he was "flabbergasted" by the Premier's response.
"60 Minutes is a national program – how can the Premier and her staff not be briefed on it?" he said.
Mr Costello said the Queensland government would be "dragged kicking and screaming" into extending the inquiry into casino operations in Queensland.
"This is just the Premier being really head in the sand," he said.
Mr Costello said expanding the inquiry was essential.
"The crime and the enabling of crime just flows from one casino to another, and there's four casinos in Queensland so you can't live in a bubble."
Mr Costello said Queensland was "particularly vulnerable" because it had almost half the nation's casinos.
VIP casino member says he was asked to lure high rollers
Paul Desmond, who was a VIP member at The Ville from 2016 to 2021, alleged he was also approached by a senior executive about working with them to bring high rollers up from Sydney and Melbourne, but the talks later fell through.
He said the casino executive wanted the gamblers to put in $20,000 — and then $150,000 in total — into their account and they would be flown up in a private jet to come to the casino.
Mr Desmond said they had discussions about what The Ville could offer the players to entice them to the casino, but the talks fell over.
"At first I didn't think of it as a junket or like we're doing anything wrong … I knew a lot of high rollers and I was bringing people up anyway for free," he said.
But he said he found out "that I'm not licensed and we can't do it".
An OLGR spokesperson said under casino laws in Queensland, there is a requirement to obtain approval for certain agreements or arrangements, including junkets.
"In September 2021, the OLGR advised all casinos with approved junket operators that all such approvals were considered expired and that no further junket operator arrangements should be entered without the specific approval of the OLGR," it said in a statement.
"Since this time OLGR has not approved any junket operator arrangements, nor have there been any applications."
Mr Desmond said he was speaking out to shine a light on casino operations in Queensland and supports calls for the current Gotterson inquiry to be expanded, or a separate inquiry be established.
"It's just the whole corruption thing — they can get away with anything they want," he said.
"They think they're above the law or think they're above the government.
"They've got people gambling there [in casinos] that have criminal records and spending large amounts of cash, and they obviously know that and they still allow them."
The allegations come as an independent review is held into Queensland casino operations at The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane.
The inquiry — headed by former Court of Appeal judge Robert Gotterson — is also probing junket operations and the relationship with VIP patrons and high rollers, their commitment to anti-money laundering responsibilities and the use of China UnionPay debit or credit card facilities.
Star is currently building the multi-billion-dollar Queen's Wharf casino development in Brisbane's CBD, which is slated to open next year.
Public hearings kicked off last Tuesday, with the inquiry hearing evidence about certain gamblers being lured to the Sunshine State after being excluded from venues in New South Wales and Victoria.
LNP always wanted Gotterson inquiry widened
Shadow Attorney-General Tim Nicholls has told the ABC's 7.30 program that soon after the Gotterson inquiry was announced the state opposition called for to be broadened — to include interaction between Star Entertainment Group, its board members, the executive government, unions and lobbyists.
"The commissioner doesn't have the power to call for evidence," Mr Nicholls said.
"The government must act to broaden the terms of the scope of the inquiry that's currently underway.
"These matters and issues have been going on for a long time and I think really the government has been forced to take this step."
Mr Nicholls said he supported having the state's gaming regulator subject to a public inquiry as well.
"Certainly the broader inquiry would allow questions to be asked of the officers involved at the time and would enable investigation of the documents made at that time," he said.
