A Hong Kong court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former Crown Resorts marketing executive who sought interest payments linked to a AU$60 million gambling debt accumulated by Chinese businessman Huang Youlong during a 2015 visit to Crown Perth.
The High Court of Hong Kong ruled that the debt arrangement was between Huang and Macau-based junket operator Suncity Group, rather than between Huang and former Crown vice president of marketing Chua Eh Fong, who had attempted to claim overdue interest at an annual rate of 24%.
Court Finds Suncity Held the Credit Agreement
The judgment revealed details of a high-value junket transaction that took place during the peak period of VIP casino tourism. Huang, a Singaporean businessman and former husband of Chinese actress Zhao Wei, travelled to Perth in February 2015 to gamble at Crown’s casino after a junket arrangement was organised through Chua.
Crown had declined to provide Huang with gaming credit directly because he already owed “substantial debts” to other casinos and junket operators. The company instead suggested that Chua arrange alternative credit support through Suncity, which was willing to assume the risk.
Through that arrangement, Huang received AU$40 million worth of gaming chips. According to court documents, he lost the entire amount within two days.
“On 25 February 2015, [Huang] flew to Perth in order to gamble at the Casino using the gaming chips of AUD 40 million procured and/or arranged by [Chua] pursuant to the 1st Credit Agreement,” the judgment stated.
“It transpired that [Huang] soon lost all these gaming chips at the Casino within 2 days.”
After losing the initial credit line, Huang requested additional funds in an attempt to recover his losses. Chua and Suncity investors arranged another AU$20 million in gaming chips under similar repayment terms. Huang also lost that amount shortly afterward.
The case later examined how the outstanding debt was handled after the losses. Huang provided collateral through three cheques valued at about AU$11 million, although one cheque presented by Chua was rejected. Court documents also showed that Huang made a partial repayment through a HK$1.8 million deposit toward a Hong Kong property purchased for Chua, though he was unable to complete the remaining payment.
The legal dispute focused on whether Chua had personally entered into agreements with Huang that allowed her to charge interest on the unpaid amount. She argued that verbal agreements existed covering both AU$40 million and the additional AU$20 million credit extension.
Huang disputed that claim, maintaining that the credit had been provided by Suncity and that the full debt had already been repaid to the junket operator.
According to The West Australian, Deputy High Court Judge Alan Kwong sided with Huang, finding that the creditor relationship existed between Huang and Suncity. The court concluded that Chua was not entitled to claim interest because there was no agreement showing that Huang owed her personally.
“It was inherently unlikely that Ms Fong (who was employed by Crown and who was responsible for arranging Mr Youlong to obtain gaming credit) would be treated as the principal who personally contracted with Mr Youlong for the provision of the gaming credit,” the judgment stated.
“In my view, it is artificial to suggest that Ms Fong would enter into contractual dealings with Mr Youlong on a personal basis.”
“It is inherently unlikely that Ms Fong and Mr Youlong would agree that Ms Fong is entitled to charge overdue interest against Mr Youlong.”
“All in all, [Ms Fong’s] case does not sit comfortably with basic commercial common sense and ordinary logic of events. I am not persuaded that it is credible.”
The court also found that Chua’s claims regarding interest were raised later in the dispute and ordered her to pay Huang’s legal costs.
Judgment Highlights Former Junket Practices
The case provided insight into the way casino junkets operated during the international VIP gambling era. Suncity investors provided funds that supported gaming credit arrangements, allowing junkets to guarantee chips for high-value customers while sharing commissions generated from player activity.
Court records showed Huang eventually repaid the full AU$60 million debt directly to Suncity between February 2016 and November 2019. After intervention from Suncity owner Alvin Chau, the junket received repayment and later issued a deed of release confirming the debt had been cleared.
The judgment also noted that Suncity had been involved in arranging credit after Crown rejected Huang’s request due to his existing gambling debts. The court found that the arrangement reflected a commercial relationship between the junket and the customer rather than a personal agreement involving Chua.
The case has drawn attention because junket operations became a major issue during investigations into Australia’s casino sector. Regulatory inquiries into Crown Resorts examined the company’s relationships with junket operators, including concerns about money laundering risks and governance failures.
Crown ended dealings with junket operators in 2020 following growing regulatory scrutiny. The Perth casino later faced regulatory action after the Western Australian casino inquiry examined historical practices at the property.
Crown Resorts, now owned by private investment firm Blackstone, has since introduced measures aimed at addressing previous concerns related to compliance, money laundering controls and gambling harm prevention. The company continues efforts to maintain suitability to operate its casinos in Australia.