A Singaporean high roller has been ordered to pay Star Entertainment Queensland more than $38 million after racking up tens of millions of dollars in gambling debt.
In the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday, Justice Melanie Hindman ruled Yew Choy Wong must also pay Star’s costs, and interest dating back to September 2018.
Dr Wong was invited to the Star Gold Coast’s casino in 2018 where he lost $47.3 million gambling over five days.
Dr Wong left the country without settling his account, which Justice Hindman said in her judgment was “not unusual”.
The casino attempted to use a cheque provided by Dr Wong on a previous gambling trip to Sydney’s Star Casino to cover the debt.
But that cheque bounced after Dr Wong told his bank to “stop payment on any cheques from The Star”.
Dr Wong lost $47.3 million over five days at the Star Casino on the Gold Coast. (Supplied: The Star)
The casino demanded Dr Wong pay $43.2 million in October 2018, which he has not done.
Dr Wong argued he did not owe Star any money because of a verbal agreement he made with the casino after “verbally objecting” to the way his baccarat cards were dealt to him.
Dr Wong said because of this he had stopped playing, and on July 29 was made a verbal offer of a $4.5 million rebate by the casino’s president of international marketing so long as he kept gambling.
Dr Wong said he rejected the offer. On July 30, he submitted he made an agreement with chief operating officer Paul Arbuckle that he would not have to pay any losses up until that date, and resumed gambling.
However, Mr Arbuckle denied such an agreement was made.
At the time, a letter was sent to Dr Wong by Star in which the casino apologised for not following Dr Wong’s gaming preferences but it made no mention of waiving Dr Wong’s $43 million debt.
Justice Hindman said the alleged agreement pleaded by Dr Wong “is not evidenced by the letter or otherwise supported by any other evidence adduced in trial”.
“The Star GC has made out its claim for recovery of the CCF moneys as loans, and Dr Wong has not made out any pleaded defence to that claim.
“I will enter judgment for The Star GC, with interest and costs,” she said.
She agreed that interest be calculated from September 27, 2018, to the date of today’s judgment — 2,174 days — at $8,819 a day.
