Quick answer: Queensland's big casinos, The Star Brisbane at Queen's Wharf and The Star Gold Coast at Broadbeach, deal no hole card blackjack. On the everyday Star Blackjack tables the dealer hits soft 17 and blackjack pays 3:2, for a house edge The Star itself put at about 0.8%. Queensland Pontoon is cheaper at 0.40%.
Brisbane players have had a busy few years. Treasury closed as a casino, The Star Brisbane opened at Queen's Wharf in late August 2024, and in 2026 the ownership changed again. We pulled together the rule documents The Star has published in Queensland, the regulator's records and the maths. Where a current rules document is not public, we say so.
Star Blackjack: the standard Queensland game
The Star's Queensland gaming guide for Star Blackjack (published when the Brisbane casino was still at Treasury) sets out the rules:
- No hole card. Players get two cards, the dealer gets one and draws the second after everyone acts.
- The dealer hits soft 17 and stands on hard 17 or more.
- Blackjack pays 3:2.
- House margin about 0.8% with optimal strategy, in The Star's own words.
- Hand signals: tap the table to hit, wave your hand flat to stand. Dealers are trained to accept tapping only.
- An optional Blazing 7s progressive jackpot bet may be offered.
Treasury also ran standard Blackjack (3, 4, 6 or 8 decks) and Blackjack Challenge. Players on wizardofvegas.com noted that from 2021 the low-limit tables moved to Star Blackjack, which pushed the house edge from about 0.56% to about 0.78%. Has anything improved since the move to Queen's Wharf? We have not found a newer public rules document, so check the table sign for the soft 17 rule.
What each Queensland game costs
| Game | Key rules | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pontoon (Queensland rules) | 48-card decks, player 21 always wins | 0.40% (Wizard of Odds) |
| Standard blackjack (stands on soft 17) | Where offered at higher limits | About 0.56% (player reports) |
| Star Blackjack | Dealer hits soft 17, 3:2 | About 0.8% (The Star) |
| Blackjack Challenge | Big blackjack payouts, ties lose | 2.53% (Wizard of Odds, Sydney rules) |
At A$25 a hand and 60 hands an hour, the gap between Pontoon and Star Blackjack is about A$6 an hour. Pontoon has its own strategy though, so read our Pontoon vs blackjack guide first. Queensland casinos used to brand it "Treasury 21" in Brisbane and "Jupiters 21" on the Gold Coast.
Doubles, splits and a dealer blackjack
This is where the two Queensland rooms have differed. When Wizard of Odds reviewed the Gold Coast casino (then Jupiters) in 2016, a dealer blackjack took only your original bet (OBO). That is the friendliest version of no hole card: you play exactly as you would with a hole card.
- If your table is OBO: double 11 against a 10 and split 8s against a 10 as normal.
- If you are not sure: use ENHC plays against a 10 or ace (hit 11, hit 8,8). The cost of being wrong is a few cents per A$100.
- Ask the dealer. One question before you buy in beats guessing.
Our strategy chart switches between OBO and ENHC with one click.
Who runs The Star Brisbane now?
- August 2024: The Star Brisbane opened at Queen's Wharf and replaced the Treasury casino.
- Licensee: the Queensland regulator (OLGR) lists Destination Brisbane Consortium Integrated Resort Operations Pty Ltd as the licensee.
- April 2026: Star Entertainment completed the sale of its 50% stake in Destination Brisbane Consortium to its Hong Kong partners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium.
- Today: Star Entertainment still manages the casino for a fee, and the owners can end that agreement in some circumstances on 90 days' notice.
Why should a player care? New operators often review table rules and minimums. If management changes, check the rules again before assuming anything on this page still holds.
The Star Gold Coast
The Gold Coast casino at Broadbeach, known for decades as Jupiters, is the one The Star is keeping. Its 2025 deal with the Brisbane partners gave it full ownership of the Dorsett and Andaz hotels on site. For blackjack players, three things stand out:
- OBO history. The 2016 review recorded the OBO rule, which suits no hole card players.
- No free drinks at the tables. Queensland treats free alcohol as an inducement to gamble.
- The counting case. In 2022 the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal overturned exclusions of two alleged card counters from The Star Gold Coast and Treasury. We cover what that means in card counting in Australia.
We have not found a current public rule set for Gold Coast blackjack, so we are not giving it a separate page yet. When one appears, we will add it here with the version and date.
Queensland rules every player should know
- Carded play and cash limits. The Casino Control Act 1982 (Qld) was amended in March 2024 to require mandatory carded play for certain games and to restrict cash.
- Other casinos: Queensland also has The Ville in Townsville and The Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns.
- 18+ only. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858 (24/7).
In my experience Brisbane players worry most about minimums. Our minimum bets guide collects the latest reports we can verify.
Rules change from one casino to the next, and sometimes from one table to the next in the same room. Want every casino in one view? See blackjack rules at every Australian casino (one table, with sources). Or use these guides side by side before you choose a table: New to Aussie tables? Start with our Australian blackjack rules guide and keep the strategy chart open while you practise.Compare with other Aussie casinos
Casino guide What stands out Key number Crown Melbourne blackjack Rules Version 29.0: no hole card, double 9-11, Crown Blackjack hits soft 17 Pontoon 0.38% The Star Sydney blackjack Star Blackjack hits soft 17, Blackjack Challenge, NSW carded play Pontoon 0.42% Crown Sydney blackjack Traditional vs Crown Blackjack, partial doubles, no pokies A$20 legal minimum Crown Perth blackjack Soft 17 set by table layout, dealer blackjack takes all, resplit aces Pontoon 0.38% The Star Brisbane and Gold Coast Star Blackjack hits soft 17, 2026 ownership change About 0.8% SkyCity Adelaide blackjack Freebet and 6:5 Party Blackjack, SA's only casino Pontoon 0.64%
Game and tool guides What it covers Key number Blackjack Plus Dealer 22 pushes, instant pays on 21 and five cards 6.36% house edge Pontoon vs blackjack 48-card decks, player 21 always wins, house edge by city 0.34% to 0.64% Side bets in Australia Crown Pairs, Buster Blackjack, Any Pair, insurance 1.9% to 22% Minimum bets in Australia What players report at Crown and The Star, electronic tables Checked Sept 2026 Card counting in Australia What is legal, counting devices, bet limits and bans NSW s87(2) House edge calculator Enter your table's rules and see the cost per hour A$ per hour
Frequently asked questions
Does the dealer hit soft 17 at The Star Brisbane?
On Star Blackjack tables, yes. The Star's Queensland guide says the dealer draws on soft 17 and stands on hard 17 or more.
What is the house edge of Star Blackjack in Queensland?
The Star's own gaming guide puts it at about 0.8% with optimal strategy.
Is Pontoon better than blackjack in Brisbane?
On house edge, yes. Wizard of Odds puts Queensland Pontoon at 0.40%, about half the edge of Star Blackjack.
Is Treasury Casino still open?
No. The Treasury casino closed when The Star Brisbane opened at Queen's Wharf in August 2024.
Who owns The Star Brisbane?
Since April 2026 the site owner, Destination Brisbane Consortium, is held by Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium. Star Entertainment manages the casino under a management agreement.
Practise for Queen's Wharf
A dealer who hits soft 17 changes a handful of plays, such as doubling A-8 against a 6 in hole card games. Learn the Aussie version in our free blackjack game and trainer, practice points only.