The Star

Company: The Star Entertainment Group Ltd

Brand value: US561 million

Change since 2018: NEW ENTRY!

Headquarter city: Sydney

Industry: Gambling

Year formed: 2011

The Star Entertainment Group owns and operates high-end casinos and hotels: The Star in Sydney, The Star on the Gold Coast, Treasury Brisbane and the upcoming Queen’s Wharf precinct in Brisbane. The brand also operates online gaming services. The Australian casino market is set to become increasingly competitive, with the arrival of a new Sydney casino to be launched by James Packer’s Crown Resorts; there is much debate around whether the sector can sustain two sites in Sydney in light of a general pull-back in consumer spending, China’s softening economic growth and the volatility of revenue from high rollers. Given its experience, many analysts are backing The Star will be the winner against Crown’s new site. The Star has meanwhile announced investment of around AU$3 billion in its Gold Coast property, in the hope of fuelling tourism and creating jobs. And, at The Star in Sydney, facial-recognition technology is being installed as part of an AU$10 million security upgrade.