Star Gold Casino Wins $25.3M Debt Case Against VIP Gambler
A Singaporean high roller has been ordered to repay his multi-million baccarat debt to The Star Gold Coast Casino in Australia.
Wong incurred the debt from a five-day gambling spree at the casino between July 26 and Aug 2, 2018.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court in Brisbane has ruled that Yew Choy Wong must pay AU$38 million (US$25.3 million) to Star Entertainment Queensland to clear his substantial gambling debt to the operator’s casino.
The ruling, handed by Justice Melanie Hindman also requires Dr. Wong to reimburse The Star’s legal expenses and interest charges, which have been accruing since September 2018, when the legal proceedings commenced.
Wong incurred the debt from a five-day gambling spree at The Star Gold Coast Casino between July 26 and Aug 2, 2018. He then allegedly left Australia on the last day without settling it.
The popular Australian casino tried to recover the debt by cashing a cheque Wong had left at Star Casino in Sydney during an earlier visit. However, the cheque bounced because he had instructed his bank to decline payment on any cheque presented for payment from his account to the casino.
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Wong Claims Loss Waiver Agreement
In October 2018, Star Casino issued a demand for $43.2 million from Dr. Wong. He refused to pay, alleging that a verbal agreement had been reached after he raised concerns about the handling of his baccarat cards, which he claimed had been dealt improperly and led to his losses.
He also claimed that Paul Arbuckle, Star's Chief Operating Officer, had agreed to write off his losses up to July 30, 2018. However, Arbuckle denied the existence of any such agreement.
In her ruling, Justice Hindman dismissed Dr. Wong's claim of a debt waiver agreement, citing a lack of supporting evidence. Although the casino had sent a letter of apology acknowledging a failure to adhere to Dr. Wong's gaming preferences, it made no mention of a debt forgiveness agreement. Consequently, the court delivered a verdict in favor of Star Entertainment, upholding the validity of the debt.
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