Moments of discrete classical $q$-orthogonal polynomial ensembles

We consider some discrete $q$-analogues of the classical continuous orthogonal polynomial ensembles. Building on results due to Morozov, Popolitov and Shakirov, we find representations for the moments of the discrete $q$-Hermite and discrete $q$-Laguerre ensembles in terms of basic hypergeometric series. We find that when the number of particles is suitably randomised, the moments may be represented as basic hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials, with corresponding three-term recurrences in $k$, the order of the moments.