Star Entertainment promised job securities amid cashless gaming trial

As regulatory headwinds continue to increase in New South Wales, Australia, casino workers have been skittish about their job prospects, and government and business officials have sought to alleviate such misgivings.

The fears were finally dispelled late last week when Star Entertainment, Australia’s leading casino gaming operator, said that it had reached a deal with the New South Wales (NSW) Government to protect jobs, as part of a revised casino duty rates legislation.

The duty rates framework is essentially a guarantee that the headcount at Star venues in the state won’t dip under a pre-agreed number.

The discussion also saw the introduction of cashless gaming trial, a much-ballyhooed technology that has been taken up boldly by companies such as the Star which want to demonstrate that they are one hundred per cent committed to tackling money laundering and protecting consumers through technological advancements.

In a statement released by the company, the Star said: "The Star has agreed to maintain a minimum headcount, and certain ratios of full-time, part-time and casual employees, in respect of The Star Sydney casino until 30 June 2030."

The company also thanked the New South Wales Government for working closely with the company to address its concerns about business sustainability through the revision of the duty rates, ensuring that the group would not need to pursue job cuts across the board, and calming jangled nerves across the workforce.

The addition of a cashless gaming trial is another paramount event for New South Wales as a jurisdiction and sought to be administered as a quick palliative against money laundering.

The added benefit is that the system would also be able to safeguard against excessive gambling on the part of consumers who will now be protected from engaging in such reckless habits through the use of technology that can determine if a person has overspent, and can respectively trigger a faster response time from the operator.

Star Entertainment for its part has faced regulatory pressure from the state and local competition from Crown Resorts has not been any more helpful. Regardless, Star Entertainment has good news to bring home to its employees.

Image credit: Unsplash.com