The Star Entertainment’s Sydney casino will remain under external management until June 30, 2027, as decided by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC). On Friday, the regulator expressed ongoing concerns regarding the company’s governance, leadership, and corporate culture, which led to the decision to extend the suspension of its gaming license.
This extension prolongs the management of Nick Weeks and allows the casino to continue operating its gaming facilities during the suspension period.
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford acknowledged that while The Star has made significant progress since the suspension of its license in 2022, critical issues regarding governance and culture must still be addressed. "There is no doubt that The Star has come a long way in addressing the matters which led to the suspension of its casino license in 2022," Crawford noted. However, he expressed disappointment that The Star Entertainment Group continues to face challenges impacting all its properties. He emphasized the need for the company to resolve these issues independently before the NICC could reinstate its license.
The latest extension comes nearly four years after the Sydney casino lost its independent operating rights in October 2022, following findings from the Bell inquiry, which imposed a AU$100 million ($70,286) fine. Since that time, the NICC has consistently extended the license suspension while maintaining external management under Weeks.
The Star has implemented a remediation program that focuses on addressing compliance, risk management, ethics, and senior management reforms. In a statement from March 2025, Commissioner Crawford highlighted ongoing advancements but pointed out an "ongoing uncertainty surrounding its finances" as a hurdle to more rapid progress.
The NICC has also noted the unresolved uncertainty surrounding key leadership positions and ongoing civil proceedings initiated by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) in the Federal Court. Two former senior executives of The Star Entertainment Group were found to have breached the Corporations Act 2001 by failing to effectively manage and report risks related to money laundering and criminal activities.
“These are all issues which need to be resolved before the NICC can lift The Star’s license suspension, which can occur at any time if the casino can demonstrate that its remediation efforts are properly embedded,” Crawford stated.
The ongoing suspension will remain in effect until the NICC is assured that the necessary reforms are firmly established and maintainable. For now, Weeks leads the management of Sydney’s high-profile casino license situation under the close supervision of regulators. Earlier this year, the NICC reported that both Crown Sydney and The Star Sydney had been fined a combined AU$2.25 million ($1.61 million) after a 16-year-old accessed gaming floors using fraudulent ID documents.
