The Star Sydney casino licence suspended until 2027

Kyle Kevin

iGaming Writer

Fact Checked

The Star Sydney casino’s licence suspension now runs until 30 June 2027, after the NSW Independent Casino Commission found that remediation is still not embedded.

The Star Sydney casino’s licence suspension is now set to run until 30 June 2027. The NSW Independent Casino Commission cited ongoing problems with governance, leadership and corporate culture as the reasons for the extension. External management under Nick Weeks continues, and the casino keeps its gaming facilities operating while the suspension persists. The regulator’s message is clear: The Star Sydney casino must prove that remediation has become permanent before the licence returns.

Star Sydney casino licence Extended to 2027

Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford said there was no doubt that The Star had come a long way on the matters that triggered the licence suspension in 2022. However, Crawford noted that problems continue to affect each of The Star’s properties. The regulator will monitor how The Star Entertainment Group and The Star resolve those issues. The Star must show the NICC that it can fix cultural problems without intervention.

The extension follows The Star Sydney’s own March 2025 progress report, which acknowledged continued advancements but flagged “ongoing uncertainty surrounding its finances” as a barrier. In contrast, The Star’s corporate and compliance remediation has advanced, while the regulator’s concern is whether the fixes will survive leadership changes. As a result, the NICC’s decision is less about gaming operations and more about whether The Star’s remediation programme can be proven to last.

What The Regulator Is Watching

Crawford said the NICC is watching how The Star and The Star Entertainment Group resolve the issues. Both companies need to show they have learned Arden Consult from past mistakes and can fix cultural problems without the NICC’s intervention. That standard is high: it requires evidence, not assurances. The Star’s remediation programme covers compliance, risk management, ethics and senior management reform, but the regulator is looking for those fixes to be embedded in the business rather than reported as progress.

In contrast, the unresolved items are specific. Leadership positions are critical and remain uncertain, and civil proceedings launched by AUSTRAC in the Federal Court are still ongoing. Two former senior executives of The Star Entertainment Group were found to have breached the Corporations Act 2001 over failures to manage and report money-laundering and criminal-activity risks. Those proceedings are the hardest part of The Star Sydney’s case, and they remain open.

The Bell Inquiry and AU$100 Million Fine

The Star Sydney’s original suspension began in October 2022 after the Bell inquiry, which found serious governance and compliance failures. At the time, The Star was fined AU$100 million, an amount the regulator converted to AU$70,286 for the casino. That figure is the baseline for the whole case, and every subsequent extension has been a step toward lifting it. The Star has since reported progress on remediation, but the NICC’s March 2025 update noted that financial uncertainty kept the pace of progress slower.

As a result, the extension to June 2027 keeps The Star Sydney operating under external management while the regulator watches. Nick Weeks remains in charge, so the casino’s daily operations continue unchanged. The NICC can lift the suspension at any point if The Star can demonstrate that remediation has been properly embedded, which means the date is a ceiling rather than a deadline.

AU$2.25M Combined Fine for Fake ID Fraud

Earlier this year, the NICC fined Crown Sydney and The Star Sydney a combined AU$2.25 million after a 16-year-old repeatedly entered their gaming floors using fraudulent identification documents. The Star Sydney is one of the two properties caught in that breach, which means the remediation programme has to address identity verification at the door, not just in reporting. That is a direct test of whether The Star has fixed the same problems that triggered the Bell inquiry.

The AU$2.25 million penalty is small next to AU$100 million, but its timing matters. It follows the extension and shows that the regulator is actively enforcing compliance rather than treating the licence suspension as the only tool. For Asian operators reading the NICC’s decisions, the pattern is clear: remediation claims are measured against operational evidence, and The Star Sydney is being held to that standard while its licence stays suspended.

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This article has been thoroughly researched and reviewed by the CasinoBait editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance for Asian casino players.