Australian theatre production company David Venn Enterprises has collapsed with debts totaling $7.5 million, leaving dozens of cast and crew unpaid and sparking controversy over the launch of a new venture tied to the same producer.

The continued surge in building industry insolvencies is showing no signs of abating and widespread hopes, or even expectations, that construction costs will fall and come to the rescue appear overly optimistic.

In the first seven months of this financial year, 1,999 construction firms were declared insolvent. This was 26 per cent higher than the same period in 2023-24 (1,583) and 69 per cent higher than 2022-23 (1,182).

Much of this has been blamed on high construction costs and a lack of skilled labour to do the actual work of building much needed new homes.

Neither causal factor looks like going away, suggesting the onslaught of building company failures would continue deep into 2025.

Construction cost…

Hong Kong actor and model Jacky Heung is being sued by a Macau casino operator for allegedly racking up at least HK$1.4 million (US$178,000) in gambling debts following a visit to the gaming hub last December.

In a writ filed with the Hong Kong District Court, MGM Grand Paradise said Heung had borrowed HK$2 million on December 1, 2024, from the operator of the MGM Macau and MGM Cotai casino hotels and converted the money into betting chips.

Under the terms of the loan, Heung was required to repay it on the same day.

But the company alleged that the 40-year-old actor had only paid back some of the money and still owed the casino HK$1.4 million.

The contract also stated that the casino could charge an annual interest of 18 per cent on…

Last year, quite the rumor about Bruno Mars made the rounds: Supposedly, he had amassed a whopping $50 million in gambling debt with MGM Resorts. MGM quickly refuted the rumor, but it’s been Mars himself who has kept the conversation alive by continually joking about the situation.

The latest example is an Instagram post from yesterday, of him joining Rosé on stage at a Blackpink concert for a surprise performance of “APT.” Mars captioned his post, “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!!”

Last August, Mars shared fan posts about his Lady Gaga collaboration “Die With A Smile,” suggesting that Gaga released the song to help Mars earn money to pay off his debt. Then, earlier this year, when…

The Canadian hip-hop superstar’s recent financial transparency exposes the harsh realities behind celebrity betting culture

The glittering facade of celebrity gambling culture received a sobering reality check when one of music’s biggest names pulled back the curtain on an uncomfortable truth. The Toronto-born artist, Drake, whose musical achievements have earned him global recognition and substantial wealth, recently disclosed financial losses that underscore the precarious nature of high-stakes wagering.

Social media posts revealed that the Grammy-winning performer had wagered approximately $125 million over a single month, resulting in losses exceeding $8 million. These figures represent more than mere entertainment expenses…

Maverick Gaming, a casino and cardroom operator based in Washington state, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The filing, made on Monday, lists the company’s total liabilities and assets in the range of $100 million to $500 million.

The company, led by CEO and co-founder Eric Persson, operates a portfolio of 27 properties across Washington, Nevada, and Colorado. According to court documents, its holdings include approximately 2,500 slot machines, 320 table games, 1,200 hotel rooms, and 30 restaurants. The bankruptcy comes after a period of aggressive expansion under Persson that drew scrutiny from credit analysts.

S&P Global Ratings, in a June…

He’s got jokes.

Bruno Mars poked fun at the debunked rumors that he owed MGM Resorts $50 million in gambling debt following his surprise cameo at BLACKPINK’s concert in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The “Treasure” singer, 39, shared an Instagram clip from his onstage appearance the day after and wrote, “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!! .”

Mars’ video showed him running on the stage at SoFi Stadium as confetti fell. He joined Rosé to sing the K-Pop girl group’s hit “APT” on their DEADLINE World Tour.

“THE CAPTION LMAO,” one fan wrote in the comments section.