Two casinos in Sydney have been penalized over AU$2 million after a 16-year-old was permitted to gamble extensively at their venues. The teenager was found to have gambled significant sums across 22 visits, comprising 19 trips to Crown Sydney and three to The Star.
The NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has levied a fine of AU$1.75 million (approximately $1.25 million) against Crown Sydney for not preventing the minor’s access to the property. An inquiry revealed that the casino had granted the 16-year-old silver membership status and provided him with complimentary alcohol, both of which are violations of gambling regulations.
Using a fake driver’s license, the boy accessed Crown Sydney between April and August 2025. He also visited The Star Sydney on at least three occasions, for which the NICC imposed a fine of AU$500,000 (about $358,000) on The Star as well.
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford highlighted that the individual had gambled away a considerable amount of money during his time at the casinos. The fines arose from an investigation conducted by Liquor and Gaming NSW (L&GNSW).
Dimitri Argeres, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at L&GNSW, emphasized the severity of the failure to safeguard a vulnerable young individual from accessing gaming areas, noting that it resulted in actual harm.
In addition to the casinos being fined, the boy has been banned from entering casinos for five years. In Australia, the legal age for gambling is 18, meaning he won’t be able to visit a casino again until he turns 23.
Crown Sydney has defended its actions by stating that the teenager's mother accompanied him during several visits and that they notified the regulator upon discovering his age. A spokesperson for Crown said, "Crown Sydney takes its obligations in relation to minors and the use of false identification extremely seriously. We notified the regulator after becoming aware the individual was underage and have cooperated with its investigation."
While both casinos have acknowledged their responsibility in these incidents and cooperated with the investigation, the NICC confirmed that this does not lessen the gravity of allowing a minor to enter gaming areas and gamble substantial amounts of money. The issue included the unauthorized service of complimentary alcohol by Crown Sydney.
Concerns about youth gambling have been mounting in Australia, with calls for more stringent regulations arising due to the alarming number of minors engaging in gambling activities. Professional cricketer Usman Khawaja previously expressed concerns about how normalized gambling has become among younger generations, stating that many 16-year-olds are already gambling.
Reports from the Australian Institute indicate that approximately 30% of minors aged 12 to 17 engage in gambling activities. Australians reportedly lose an average of over $1,000 yearly through gambling, which is significantly higher compared to Americans, who average losses of around $524 annually.
In response to growing concerns, the Australian government is tightening regulations regarding gambling advertising. Beginning next year, Australians will have the option to opt out of all online gambling advertisements, with online services required to implement an opt-out function by January 1. Individuals can register to avoid seeing gambling ads across various online platforms.
Previously, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has warned influencers against promoting illegal gambling, despite ongoing violations. Influencer Dinah faced backlash for endorsing the crypto casino Rainbet, despite the fact that online casinos are illegal in Australia. Dinah has since deleted her social media accounts following the criticism.
New regulations also include a ban on minors accessing social media, but it remains unclear whether these measures will effectively mitigate underage gambling in the nation.
