The Australian Financial Review has been told The Star had at least a dozen marketing staff on the mainland, mostly Chinese nationals and that it had ramped up its promotional activities in recent months.

A spokesman for The Star, which runs casinos in Sydney, Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, declined to say why Mr Bekier cancelled his trip. "We don't discuss Matt's travel arrangements," a spokesman said.

Casinos across the region are scrambling to respond to China's move against foreign operators marketing their gambling activities on the mainland, as investors sell down stocks amid concern Chinese high rollers will be reluctant to visit Australia.

Gambling stocks take a hit

The Star has seen its stock decline 11 per cent over the last week, closing at $5.11 on Friday.

Crown shares have fallen 16 per cent to $10.92 over the same period, while shares in New Zealand's SkyCity Entertainment Group have fallen 18 per cent to $3.53.

SkyCity, which operates the Adelaide and Darwin casinos among its six properties in Australia and New Zealand, said on Friday it did not employ any staff directly in China but did have independent contractors.

The company said none of these people had been questioned or detained by Chinese authorities.


"It is clear that these changes in the immediate future will impact our international business from China," interim chief executive John Mortensen told analysts and reporters on Friday, according to Reuters.

The direct marketing of gambling activities to Chinese nationals is illegal on the mainland, as is organising more than 10 people to visit overseas casinos. However, gaming companies can promote the tourism aspects of their resorts.

While Crown hired staff in four cities across China, it has no office on the mainland and its employees worked from home.

Among the 18 employees detained, 14 were Chinese nationals, three were Australians and one is a Malaysian citizen.

One of the Australians, Jason O'Connor, the head of VIP International at Crown, is based in Melbourne and was detained in Shanghai while on a business trip.

In a statement the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had visited the three Australians in Shanghai on Friday

and reported "they were being treated well".

It declined to give any further information. So far no charges have been laid as China conducts an investigation into whether Crown staff were involved in any "gambling crimes".