Rising turmoil at Star Entertainment, which is battling to retain its Sydney casino licence, has seen Executive Chair David Foster leave the group following admissions at the Bell inquiry.

Last week Foster told the inquiry he was “trigger-happy” in sending text messages that called for the scrapping of the casino regulator and removal of the manager controlling its Sydney casino licence. He also conceded The Star was not suitable to operate a casino in Sydney.

“I certainly have a clear and realistic view that there is not a scenario – and I don’t think there ever was, realistically – of the company at this stage achieving suitability without some form of supervision,” he said.

Adam Bell SC is running the inquiry at the request of the Independent Casino Commission to assess whether Star had done enough to win back its Sydney licence.

Bell’s first report in 2022 found Star was unsuitable to hold its licence, describing its operations as “a case study of unethical conduct and cultural failure” that may have evaded taxes and facilitated $900 million of banned gambling transactions.

If Star is found unsuitable at the end of Bell’s second inquiry, its licence could be permanently revoked, resulting in the casino being shut down.

Non-executive director Deborah Page told the inquiry that Foster (above) had worsened poor relations with the NSW ­Independent Casino Commission by allowing ousted chief executive Robbie Cooke to issue an exit statement that appeared to place blame on NICC chief commissioner Philip Crawford.

Page said she was “really disappointed” that Foster had negotiated an arrangement that allowed Cooke to release the statement.

“The board strongly encouraged the chairman to stop this happening,” she said.

“I personally did not want that statement issued and others expressed the same view.”

“The board met without Mr Foster and resolved to change the chairman,” Ms Ward told the independent inquiry on Monday. “Members of the board had come to the view that new leadership was required and that was the decision.”

Page agreed that The Star would probably need continued management by the regulator as well as a new structure so it could not return to a “false” business model that allowed it to profit from criminal behaviour.

Since December, Star Entertainment has lost its CEO, chief financial officer, chief legal officer, chief customer officer, chief transformation officer, chief of staff and the CEO of its Gold Coast precinct.

Star shares have dropped by almost 65% in the past year. However, the single biggest shareholder, Bruce Mathieson Snr, has increased stake in the company to 9.6%. despite its current regulator woes.

Across the harbour, the NSW Independent Casino Commission found last week that Crown Sydney, owned by US private equity company Blackstone, was suitable to retain its casino licence.

The Australian Financial Review noted: “There is widespread industry speculation that in the event [The Star] loses its licence, Blackstone may scope out a takeover.”