Adds background and details throughout, Star statement in paragraph 4

March 3 (Reuters) - Australia's Star Entertainment SGR.AX on Monday said it would not be able to announce its first-half results till its secures a rescue financing, after the country's stock exchange suspended trading in the embattled casino operator's shares.

The suspension will remain in place until the company lodges its financial results and the exchange determines whether trading can resume.

Star Entertainment, already reeling from regulatory scrutiny and financial instability, now finds itself in deeper turmoil as investors are left in the dark about its financial health.

The company reiterated concerns over its survival, saying "there remains material uncertainty as to the group's ability to continue as a going concern."

Star Entertainment and its CEO, Steve McCann, have been scrambling to secure funding in a last-ditch effort to prevent the business from collapsing.

For years, Star and larger rival Crown Resorts, owned by Blackstone BX.N, have faced multiple inquiries into violations of anti-money laundering rules and subsequent legal woes.

The cash-strapped firm has been grasping at straws to stay afloat, with the latest attempt being a receipt of proposal from U.S.-based Oaktree Capital Management OAKCP.UL to refinance around A$650 million ($403.78 million) of debt.

In January, Star flagged serious liquidity concerns, revealing it had only A$79 million in available cash as of December 2024.

(Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Varun H K)

((Rishav.Chatterjee@thomsonreuters.com;))