The NSW Independent Casino Commission has hit The Star Sydney with A$10 million in penalties and a further A$5 million remediation order over marathon gambling sessions, exclusion failures and financial-crime gaps.
The Star Sydney has been fined A$10 million (about $7.2 million) by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) after a probe found patrons were left to gamble for more than 36 hours at a stretch, banned customers slipped back onto the floor, and loyalty points were converted to cash with little oversight. The penalty, announced on June 1, 2026, lands on operator Star Entertainment as it works to rebuild trust under new ownership, and signals that NSW regulators still expect faster fixes despite recent reforms.
Key Facts:
• A$10 million (about $7.2 million) in fines issued to The Star Sydney — NICC
• A$5 million enforceable undertaking earmarked for financial-crime technology — NICC
• Patrons gambled for more than 36 hours in a single session on multiple occasions — NICC
• Nearly 1,900 loyalty-point-to-cash conversions flagged over a five-year window — NICC
What did the regulator find?
The NICC said its review uncovered a cluster of historical failures at the Pyrmont casino. On several occasions, customers were allowed to play continuously for upwards of 36 hours, breaching responsible-gaming duties designed to interrupt prolonged, high-risk play. Investigators also found that some people who had formally excluded themselves were still able to re-enter the gaming floor, exposing weaknesses in the venue’s identification and exclusion controls.
The bulk of the penalty, however, relates to financial-crime monitoring. The Commission concluded the casino had not properly assessed the risk profiles of certain customers, including those who could be linked to money laundering or terrorism financing. A separate strand of the inquiry flagged nearly 1,900 instances over five years in which loyalty points were converted to cash in ways that raised compliance concerns.
Why does this matter for the industry?
The fine is a reminder that Australia’s casino regulators remain in an enforcement-first posture even as operators tout reform. The Star’s Sydney licence is still suspended and the venue continues to trade under a government-appointed manager, an arrangement put in place after earlier inquiries questioned its suitability to hold a licence at all. The NICC paired the fines with an enforceable undertaking requiring The Star to set aside A$5 million to strengthen the technology underpinning its financial-crime risk management.
“While these disciplinary matters are disappointing, we have seen considerable progress at The Star under their new leadership,” said Philip Crawford, Chief Commissioner of the NICC. “Imposing these fines along with the enforceable undertaking reiterates the seriousness with which the NICC considers any breaches that leave customers vulnerable to gambling harm or casinos vulnerable to criminal infiltration.” (NSW Independent Casino Commission)
For customers, the case underscores how thin the protections can become when monitoring systems lag. Sessions stretching beyond a day and a half, and excluded players walking back in, are precisely the harms responsible-gaming rules are meant to prevent. Regulators across Australia have intensified enforcement on both licensed venues and offshore sites in recent months.
What happens next?
The Star is expected to pay the fines in instalments by mid-2027 while delivering the financial-crime upgrades set out in the undertaking. The NICC has signalled it will keep the casino’s compliance history front of mind in any future licensing decision, meaning the path back to a clean bill of health runs through demonstrable, audited improvement rather than promises. The broader context is an industry under pressure: regulators worldwide are sharpening their focus as the scale of unregulated gambling activity becomes clearer.
FAQ
Q: How much was The Star Sydney fined?
A: The NICC issued A$10 million (about $7.2 million) in fines, plus an enforceable undertaking to spend a further A$5 million on financial-crime technology.
Q: What were the main breaches?
A: Allowing patrons to gamble for more than 36 hours at a time, letting excluded customers back onto the floor, and weak financial-crime monitoring, including nearly 1,900 flagged loyalty-point conversions over five years.
Q: Is The Star Sydney still operating?
A: Yes, but its licence remains suspended and the casino is run by a government-appointed manager while remediation continues.
Gambling carries financial risk and can be addictive. If you or someone you know needs help, visit GamCare (UK), call 1-800-GAMBLER (US), or see our Responsible Gambling page.
