Portugal Colonial - Trading halted in troubled Australian casino firm

Star said it was exploring "possible liquidity solutions" -- including last-minute bailout offers -- but conceded there was "material uncertainty" clouding its future.

The Australian Securities Exchange said trading in Star had been "temporarily paused" just minutes before the stock market opened.

The company last traded at Aus$0.12 a share (US$0.07) with a market capitalisation of Aus$344 million.

The firm has previously been accused of not adequately policing criminal infiltration and doing little to vet the sources of money coming into the business.

Watchdogs found that one patron -- a Chinese real estate billionaire barred by the Australian government for being an agent of Chinese influence -- had ploughed more than a billion dollars into Star over several years.

Another high-rolling patron was allegedly involved in human trafficking.

The group was temporarily delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange last year after failing to post its annual financial results.

A.Motta--PC