On Thursday, Star Entertainment Group was found unsuitable to hold a casino gaming licence in Queensland. It currently runs two casinos in the state, The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane.

Star was earlier hit with a similar finding of unsuitability over its NSW operations. The organisation is currently considering its response to the latest report.

But Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said today the findings were a stark example of why the Gold Coast needed a second casino.
He said a single casino in Australia’s favourite tourism destination was dangerous.

“It’s never healthy to have a monopoly, whether it be theme parks or restaurants, you name it. A monopoly, it’s like a dictatorship,” Tate said.

“To have one casino, when you know that you’re the only house in town, you can relax a little bit in how you behave yourself.

“When you’ve got competition, you roll up your sleeves, you put on your best clothes, you make sure that all legislation is all ticked off, because you know the competitor will be doing the same.”

Tate said regardless of Star’s future, the Gold Coast should be awarded a second licence under a global tourism hub model.

Confidence was flying on the Gold Coast along with investment, he said.

“Covid is behind us, the global travel and leisure industry is recovering at record pace and I’m confident there are investors on a global scale that would consider investing in a second GTH for our city. That way, we would have a duopoly in play and that is far more advantageous for patrons than the current monopoly,” Tate said.

The Gold Coast is currently undergoing a ramping up and reinvention of its tourism offerings.

“Having a global tourism hub is really more dining, more entertainment, more shopping, It’s not just about sitting at the table playing and gambling.

“So many people go to Vegas and don’t even gamble,” Tate said.

The global tourism hub proposal for the Gold Coast was knocked on the head in 2020. It was floated for The Spit, on Wavebreak Island with the controversial cruise ship terminal, or on the Broadwater. It was hailed as the visitation saviour for the city as international tourism numbers were bleeding from the Gold Coast to Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart.

At the same time, the Palaszczuk Government also killed off a global tourism hub process for Cairns.

The global tourism hub proposals featured an integrated resort with hotels, dining, theatres, parks and convention spaces. The centrepiece was a casino and gaming facilities.