Star Entertainment Group has announced the postponement of its highly anticipated 2025 Brisbane Champs poker tournament, which was originally scheduled to begin this week. The tournament, set to feature 18 events across 12 days, will now be delayed due to ongoing industrial action by staff at The Star Brisbane casino. This decision follows a series of strikes by workers who are in dispute with management over pay and conditions, leading to potential disruptions that could affect the operation of the event.

Reasons behind the postponement:

Star Entertainment, which also runs World Poker Tour events at its Sydney and Gold Coast locations, made the announcement with a focus on the safety and experience of its guests. The company acknowledged that the potential impact of the strikes could affect the delivery of the high-quality experience players expect. The Brisbane Champs, a major poker series that attracts many players each year, will be rescheduled, and Star has promised to announce the new dates in the coming weeks.

The decision to postpone the 2025 Brisbane Champs was driven by escalating industrial action by Star Brisbane workers, who are represented by the United Workers Union. Employees at the casino have been protesting over a range of issues, including wage cuts and reductions to Sunday penalty rates. The workers rejected Star’s offer of a 4% pay increase over three years, which they argued would result in real wage cuts when considering the proposed reductions to penalty rates.

The union has been vocal about its dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in negotiations, which prompted the strike action. In a demonstration of frustration, workers staged a four-hour walkout on one of the busiest nights of the year, during the State of Origin decider, an event that would have traditionally seen a surge in business. The ongoing disputes have resulted in interruptions to the normal functioning of The Star Brisbane, leading the company to make the difficult decision to delay the poker tournament to maintain the event’s standard.

Impact on players and refunds:

As stated on the casino’s Facebook page, players who had secured their place in the Main Event via satellite tournaments will be directly contacted by Star and will receive cash payouts in lieu of their entry fees. This is being done to ensure that players are compensated despite the event’s delay. In addition, those who had booked hotel accommodations for the tournament series will be eligible for full refunds, with Star offering support through its customer service channels to process these returns efficiently.

While the delay of such a major event represents a significant setback for Star Brisbane, the company has expressed its commitment to delivering a world-class experience once the event is rescheduled. In a statement, Star emphasized, “delivering a world-class player experience is our top priority,” and reassured the public that it remains dedicated to ensuring future poker events meet the high standards players expect.

The postponement of the 2025 Brisbane Champs comes at a time when Star Entertainment Group is facing additional challenges. The company has been in the process of negotiations with its Hong Kong-based partners, Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium, regarding the potential sale of The Star Brisbane. These discussions have added another layer of complexity to the ongoing industrial disputes at the casino.

While this event is a blow to the casino’s operations, it is important to note that Star continues to host major poker events at its other Australian venues. The company remains a prominent player in the Australian poker scene, running events such as the World Poker Tour at its Sydney and Gold Coast casinos, and the WSOP Circuit at The Star Sydney each November.