Internal warnings about safety hazards on the 23rd-floor Sky Deck at The Star Brisbane were raised by a resort manager months before an employee died there, according to a joint investigation by The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald. The findings were summarised by trade publication Casino.org.
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What the reports allege
The Star Brisbane sits within the Queen's Wharf development and opened in late 2024. Casino.org put the cost at nearly US$2.6 billion. According to the investigation, Star Brisbane manager Jon Kruk reported "major" concerns just months after opening. His concerns were about a gap between the safety glass partition panels and a handrail balustrade on the Sky Deck, which could easily be climbed through.
The reporting says Kruk's warnings came eight months before a 24-year-old chef from the Philippines, who worked in the resort's room service operations, used the gap to get past the partition and died. Internal documents leaked to the two outlets reportedly show that her death sped up remedial safety discussions. They also indicate that a permanent fix has still not been implemented. The documents have not been published in full, and the source material does not say what interim measures, if any, are in place.
Star's response
Star Entertainment chief executive Bruce Mathieson dismissed the revelations as "selective reporting". He said that he and partner Bally's Corporation took control less than nine months ago. According to the source, he said the new ownership group is working to overturn a legacy of slow regulatory and operational reform.
"It's disappointing to see such selective reporting of our confidential corporate information, without context," Mathieson said.
The portion of his statement quoted by Casino.org refers to a review of the Star's financial crime and safer gambling processes across its three properties, which he described as "ongoing and evolving". The source does not say whether Mathieson addressed the specific Sky Deck gap or the timeline of the remedial work. It also does not say whether Star has responded to questions about when a permanent fix will be completed.
A difficult record for the operator
The reports add to pressure on Australia's second-largest casino operator. In late May, the NSW Independent Casino Commission fined Star A$10 million for "systemic failures" in The Star Sydney's financial crimes risk department. According to Casino.org, the fine also covered:
- customers being allowed to convert rewards points into cash; - a self-excluded person being allowed to gamble on at least nine occasions; and - customers being allowed to gamble for more than 12 hours straight without a government-mandated break.
In 2022, the NSW and Queensland governments fined Star A$200 million for failing to protect their gaming floors against money laundering.
Star's finances remain under strain. The company this week reported a US$219.9 million loss for the financial year ending 30 June 2026, according to Casino.org. Group revenue fell 2.2%. The company said losses narrowed through cost-cutting and signs of improvement at The Star Gold Coast. It has also recently completed the sale of a majority stake in The Star Brisbane, which Casino.org described as being at a heavily discounted price.
The Star Brisbane is a licensed land-based casino. Online casino services remain prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.