Star's Sydney Casino Licence Suspension Extended Nine Months
The New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has extended the suspension of The Star Entertainment Group's Sydney casino licence for a further nine months, keeping external manager Nick Weeks in place until the end of June 2027.
The regulator said fresh allegations about governance, leadership and culture at the casino remain unresolved despite progress since the licence was first suspended in October 2022.
Regulator Cites Unresolved Governance Concerns
NICC chief commissioner Philip Crawford said The Star "has come a long way" in addressing the failings that triggered the original 2022 suspension, but added that "recent allegations regarding governance, leadership and culture at the casino are serious and are being treated as such by both the manager and the NICC."
Crawford said the commission would be "watching carefully to see how The Star and The Star Entertainment Group resolve these issues," noting both companies "need to demonstrate to the NICC that they have learnt from past mistakes."
The extension follows a leaked recording, reported last month, in which senior Star executives were said to have complained about compliance measures imposed by regulators in both New South Wales and Queensland.
AUSTRAC Case Still Looms Over Group
The NICC noted that civil proceedings brought by financial crime regulator AUSTRAC in the Federal Court remain a significant overhang for Star.
AUSTRAC alleges systemic non-compliance with Australia's anti-money laundering laws, including poor governance of risk management and failures in customer due diligence.
Star lost control of its Sydney casino in October 2022 after a state government inquiry found it unfit to operate independently; Weeks was appointed as external manager to keep the venue trading while the group worked through reforms.
