Singapore High Roller Denies Lying About $30M Debt

Singapore High Roller Denies Lying About $30M Debt

A wealthy individual from Singapore has refuted claims of “lying” in court regarding a AU$40 million credit line at the Star Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. 

The casino is taking legal action against Dr. Yew Choy Wong for a gambling debt of AU$43 million (US$30 million), which it claims he accumulated during a weeklong gambling binge six years prior. 

According to the complaint, Wong flew to the Gold Coast location in July 2018 aboard one of the casino’s private jets to participate in a baccarat tournament. When he departed on August 2, he was $43 million in debt. 

Empty Voucher 

The Star reports that Wong was granted access to a $40 million check-cashing service upon his arrival. According to the lawsuit, he permitted the casino to utilize a blank check he had provided to the sister casino, Star Sydney, a year prior to settle the debt upon his exit. The payment was returned. 

Wong asserts that the credit agreement was devoid of content when he signed it and disputes having permitted the casino to utilize the check for debt collection. 

The defendant claims he chose to quit gambling on July 28 after getting upset by dealer errors, but VIP hosts convinced him to keep playing. 

The high roller asserts that he clearly stated he would not cover additional losses if the errors persisted, and according to him, they did. 

Wong testified on Wednesday that he directed his private banker to make sure the check would bounce due to its age. 

‘Groundless Oppression’ 

The Star first filed a lawsuit against Wong in Singapore but did not succeed since the Civil Law Act of the country bars the government from helping foreign firms recover debts linked to international gambling. 

Wong contended that the Singapore decision should be upheld, stating that Star's attempts to chase him through the Australian legal system represented “unwarranted harassment.” 

However, in April 2021, a judge from the Supreme Court of Queensland allowed the case to move forward, characterizing it as a “fairly simple” claim for damages that ought to be decided based on its merits. 

Wong previously served as the director of Celton Manx, based in the Isle of Man, which owns SBOBET, the initial Asian-oriented sportsbook to sponsor a team in the English Premier League. 

A representative from Celton Manx informed Casino.org that Wong stepped down from his role in March 2019 shortly after the company learned of the disagreement.