The Ville Resort Casino in Townsville has been charged with breaking Queensland's casino laws just days after the operator of a Cairns casino was fined for paying a junket tour operator.
The state's gambling regulator has spent months investigating allegations of an "illegal junket operation" at the luxury venue after it became aware of "alleged unapproved agreements" at the Ville as early as February.
Casino laws in Queensland require approval for certain agreements or arrangements, including junkets.
The Office of Liquor and Gaming told the ABC it had charged The Ville Resort Casino with breaching two sections of the Casino Control Act.
The casino, owned by billionaire businessman Chris Morris, was in August the subject of a report by Channel Nine program 60 Minutes, which claimed the Ville had paid an alleged illegal junket operator "in cash and loyalty points" to attract high rollers to the venue.
At the time, the Ville said there were factual inaccuracies in the report and that the casino operated lawfully.
The casino has been contacted for comment again.
The matter is due to be heard at Townsville Magistrates Court in January.
Fines handed to Cairns casino operator
Just days ago, the operator of the Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns was fined $10,000 for paying a junket tour operator to bring patrons to the venue.
Casinos Austria International (Cairns) Pty Ltd paid high roller Lawrence Fu 0.05 per cent of what the casino turned over from patrons he brought through its doors.
But the agreement, which earned Mr Fu $21,400 in betting vouchers, did not have written approval from the state gaming minister.
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation is currently reviewing penalties under the state's casino legislation.
New reforms require casinos to self-report breaches and cooperate with the regulator, which said additional reforms will be introduced next year.
