Star Entertainment's Sydney Casino Licence Suspension Extended to June 2027

The NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has advised The Star Entertainment Group that the suspension of the casino licence for The Star Sydney will remain in effect, extending the appointment of the casino's regulator-installed manager, Nick Weeks, to June 30, 2027. The decision, disclosed by Star to the ASX on September 25, 2026, keeps the Pyrmont casino operating under external management for a fifth consecutive year.

What Changed, and What Did Not

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The NICC has not issued a new disciplinary finding against Star. Instead, at the NICC's request, the NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing amended the Casino Control Regulation 2019 to extend Weeks' term as manager, meaning he will continue to hold the casino licence for The Star Pty Limited on Star's behalf for a further nine months. That arrangement, in place since the licence was first suspended, is what allows gaming operations to continue at the Sydney casino despite the suspension.

What the Regulator Said

NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford acknowledged that Star had made progress since 2022 but said the casino had not yet resolved the concerns behind its suspension. "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 statement, before adding that recent allegations regarding governance, leadership and culture at the casino were serious and being treated as such by both the manager and the NICC. Neither the NICC's release nor other sources reviewed for this article specify what those recent allegations involve.

Crawford said it was disappointing that, despite progress at the Sydney casino specifically, the wider Star Entertainment Group continued to experience problems affecting each of its properties, and that the NICC would be watching closely to see how both the casino and the group resolve them. He added that lifting the suspension remains possible at any time, but that doing so is ultimately Star's responsibility to earn by demonstrating its remediation efforts have been properly and durably embedded in the business.

Unresolved AUSTRAC Case and Leadership Gaps

The NICC's release also notes that Star is still awaiting the outcome of civil proceedings brought against it by the financial crimes regulator AUSTRAC in the Federal Court, and flagged uncertainty about the broader Star Entertainment Group's capacity to support the Sydney casino's remediation while it works to fill unspecified critical leadership and governance roles. Star's ASX announcement of the NICC decision was authorised by Bruce Mathieson Jnr, described in the filing as Group Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, with a notation that the role remains subject to regulatory approvals.

Background: The Bell Inquiries

The Star Sydney's licence has been suspended since October 17, 2022, when the NICC found the operator unsuitable to hold it following the Bell Inquiry, led by Adam Bell SC, which uncovered serious failures in anti-money-laundering controls, governance and compliance. Star was fined AU$100 million at the time. A second inquiry, known as Bell Two, reported further shortcomings in 2024. More recently, Star was penalised again — reported at AU$10 million by trade outlet Gaming Intelligence — over historical financial crime risk management and responsible gambling matters, consistent with a filing on Star's own ASX announcements list dated June 1, 2026.

A Mixed Signal Earlier This Month

The extension comes three weeks after Crawford reportedly told a parliamentary committee, as relayed by The Australian, that The Star Sydney could have its casino licence back on a conditional basis "as early as this month." Star had applied in August 2026 for the NSW licence to be reinstated. That more optimistic assessment was not reflected in the September 25 outcome; no source reviewed for this article explains the gap, and this article does not speculate about the reasons.

The Star Gold Coast, Too

The same week, Queensland authorities separately deferred the licence suspension at The Star Gold Coast — also managed by Weeks — to March 31, 2027, based on his report of what he described as significant progress there, while noting several priority remediation matters remain in progress.

What Happens Next

The Star Sydney will continue operating under Weeks' management for at least the next nine months. The NICC has said it could lift the suspension earlier if satisfied Star's remediation is properly embedded, or could act again if the concerns it has flagged are not resolved. The outcome of AUSTRAC's Federal Court case against Star remains pending and was not addressed in the September 25 announcement beyond acknowledging it is ongoing.