The Star Sydney has been fined AU$10 million ($7.19 million) by the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) over historical compliance breaches, including financial crime risk management failures, gambling harm matters and other regulatory breaches.
The penalties, announced on June 1st, also include an enforceable undertaking requiring the casino to set aside a further AU$5 million ($3.6 million) to strengthen technology supporting its financial crime risk management operations.
The action followed investigations by Liquor & Gaming NSW into thousands of breaches at The Star, which were outlined in 4 separate disciplinary matters and referred to the NICC for enforcement action.
The largest penalty was AU$5 million ($3.6 million) for systemic failures in financial crime risk operations between July 2023 and September 2025. The same matter also led to the enforceable undertaking, with the dedicated remediation fund intended to support upgrades to The Star Sydney’s technological capability.
The regulator also imposed an AU$3 million ($2.16 million) penalty for allowing casino reward points to be converted to cash involving at least 1,898 patrons between December 2018 and November 2023.
The Star Sydney was also fined AU$1.5 million ($1.08 million) for allowing customers to gamble continuously without breaks longer than prescribed time limits between May 2024 and April 2025, and AU$500,000 ($359,700) for failing to prevent an excluded patron from entering the casino on 9 occasions between February and May 2024.
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford said the disciplinary matters were “disappointing” but noted progress under new leadership.
“While we are optimistic about The Star’s remediation progress, the casino’s recent poor compliance history has also factored into the Commission’s decision,” Crawford said.
He added that the fines and enforceable undertaking reflected “the seriousness with which the NICC considers any breaches that leave customers vulnerable to gambling harm or casinos vulnerable to criminal infiltration.”
The Star CEO and Managing Director, Bruce Mathieson Jr., said the company takes its regulatory obligations seriously and welcomed the ability to pay the penalties progressively until June 30th, 2027.
“We will continue to engage constructively with the NICC in respect of The Star Sydney as we work through our remediation program. I am confident that we are making progress,” Mathieson said.
The Star Sydney’s casino license remains suspended, with NICC-appointed manager Nick Weeks continuing to oversee casino operations until September 30th, 2026. The venue is allowed to continue operating gaming facilities during the suspension period under the management of the NICC-appointed manager.
