Star Entertainment’s Sydney Casino Licence Suspension Extended until 2027
The extension marks nearly four years since The Star’s Sydney casino lost independent operating rights in October 2022
The Star Entertainment’s Sydney casino will remain under external management until 30 June 2027, following a decision by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC).
On Friday, the regulator cited ongoing concerns about the company’s governance, leadership and corporate culture as key factors for extending its suspension.
The extension prolongs the tenure of manager Nick Weeks and permits the casino to continue operating its gaming facilities while its licence suspension persists.
‘The Star Has Come a Long Way’
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford acknowledged the progress made but emphasised that questions remained regarding its governance, leadership and culture remediation which are crucial to ensuring that the casino can operate under its own licence again.
“There is no doubt that The Star has come a long way in addressing the matters which led to the suspension of its casino licence in 2022,” Crawford said in the regulator’s update.
“It is disappointing that despite the progress made by the Sydney casino, the group company continues to experience problems that affect each of its properties.
“The NICC will be watching carefully to see how The Star and The Star Entertainment Group resolve these issues. Both companies need to demonstrate to the NICC that they have learned from past mistakes and can resolve these cultural issues without the need for the NICC’s intervention,” he added.
“Ultimately it is The Star’s responsibility to demonstrate that it believes in its remediation efforts and that they can do the work to ensure its remediation sticks long-term.”
Another Extension
The extension marks nearly four years since The Star’s Sydney casino lost independent operating rights in October 2022, following findings from the Bell inquiry. It was fined AU$100 million ($70,286) at the time.
Since then, the NICC has progressively extended the licence suspension and maintained external management under Weeks.
The Star has been engaged in a remediation programme addressing compliance, risk management, ethics and senior management reforms.
In a March 2025 statement, Commissioner Crawford noted continuing advancements but highlighted “ongoing uncertainty surrounding its finances” as a barrier to faster progress.
Earlier this year, the NICC hit The Star Sydney with AU$10 million in penalties and ordered an additional AU$5 million to be ring-fenced for financial crime controls.
