Australia keeps The Star Sydney’s NSW casino licence suspended, extends Nick Weeks’ mandate to 30 June 2027

The New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) says The Star Sydney still has not met the conditions to regain control of its casino licence, which has been suspended since 2022. For high-risk operators, the point is simple: governance fixes are not just a box-ticking exercise if the regulator still sees gaps in leadership and corporate culture.

1. The NICC announced on Friday that The Star Sydney remains unable to recover control of its licence, and the suspension will continue indefinitely. The regulator said the casino has made important progress, but recent issues around governance, leadership and culture are still serious enough to keep the licence out of the operator’s hands.
2. Alongside that decision, the NICC extended the appointment of Nick Weeks, the designated manager, until 30 June 2027. Weeks will continue overseeing The Star Pty Limited’s casino licence for the next nine months, allowing the property to keep operating despite the suspension.
3. The decision marked a shift from comments made at a recent parliamentary hearing, where NICC chief commissioner Phil Crawford had suggested the operator could regain its licence in a matter of weeks. Crawford later said concerns remain after recent press reports cited internal Star communications showing discomfort with the regulatory restrictions still affecting the group in Australia.
4. Crawford said The Star has made meaningful progress in fixing the issues that led to the 2022 suspension, but the latest allegations about governance, leadership and internal culture are being treated with full seriousness by both the NICC and the designated manager. He also said it is disappointing that, despite progress at the Sydney casino, the wider group continues to face problems affecting all of its properties in Australia.
5. The NICC said it will keep close watch on how The Star and The Star Entertainment Group work through these issues. The regulator said both companies must show they have learned from past mistakes and can fix corporate culture problems without relying on the regulator’s intervention. It also noted that the Australia Minister for Gaming and Racing has already amended the Casino Control Regulation 2019 to formalise Weeks’ extension through mid-2027.

One more issue sits in the background: the outcome of civil proceedings brought by AUSTRAC against Star in the Federal Court of Australia is still pending. The NICC said there is uncertainty over The Star Entertainment Group’s ability to support the return of the Sydney casino while also handling key leadership and governance functions.