High roller banker sues Star Entertainment after losing $3.8m drunk gambling

A high-roller investment banker has sued the operator of the Star Gold Coast, accusing it of unconscionably allowing him to drunkenly cash in $3.8m in prior winnings and lose it all in hours.

Star Entertainment, operator of The Star Casino Gold Coast is being sued. Photo: Regi Varghese

A high-roller investment banker has sued Star Entertainment, operator of the Star Gold Coast, accusing it of unconscionably allowing him to drunkenly cash in $3.8m in prior winnings and lose it all in hours.

Shakeel Latimer, from the western Sydney suburb of Catherine Field, alleges that he lost the cash in about five hours of gambling at The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach in the pre-dawn of January 19 last year while he was “significantly intoxicated”.

Only when the now 40-year-old began “to sober up” at around 6.30am did he “realise he had cashed the cheques” totalling $3.8m for gambling chips, he states in his claim filed in the Supreme Court in Brisbane on December 14.

Shakeel Latimer alleges that he lost the cash in about five hours of gambling at The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach. Picture Facebook

He had arranged for the cheques, issued by the casino on January 14, January 15 and January 17, and instructed the staff of the casino who issued them at the casino cage “that he was in no circumstances to be permitted to cash the cheque”.

“The plaintiff instructed the issue of the cheques rather than his usual practice of bank transfer so that by his instructions to (casino) employees he would not later be able to cash the cheques and lose these funds,” the claim states.

When he tested his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at 7.32am on January 19,2022 Mr Latimer alleges he blew a reading of 0.312 BAC.

He states in his claim that he began drinking “a significant quantity of alcohol” the night before while on a “short cruise” and continued drinking “for some hours” in his casino hotel room before going to the casino at about 1am.

He alleges he was “significantly intoxicated and impaired in his judgment and decision-making capacity when he entered the casino and began gambling” and that this either was apparent to casino staff on the gaming room floor or it ought to have been.

Shakeel Latimer. Picture Facebook

He alleges that staff acted in a “unconscionable” manner in allowing him to gable while inebriated on January 19.

He had been staying at the Star Gold Coast hotel for 11 days when he lost the $3.8m, the claim states.

Luka Margaretic, managing partner of MGM O’Connor lawyers in Perth told the Sunday Mail that he had passed on our request for comment to Mr Latimer.

No defence has been filed and no date has been set for hearing.

Shakeel Latimer, a Sydney "investment banker" has sued The Star Casino Gold Coast for $3.8m. Picture Facebook

Mr Latimer told racing publication The Greyhound Recorder in 2020 that he “would normally spend nine months of the year between Switzerland and the US but coronavirus has left me grounded in Australia.”

He was reported as having purchased several racing dogs.

Mr Latimer also appears on YouTube talking about global finance and economics.

Company searches show that Mr Latimer, is a shareholder in SDR Civil Pty Ltd and a former shareholder in Infinity Investment and Holding Corporation Pty Ltd and Pacific Island Tours Group Pty Ltd.