The collapse of Star Entertainment raised a lot of practical questions for players and observers alike. This page gathers the most common ones — whether the venues are still open, what happened to the licences, the AUSTRAC and ASIC action, the fate of Star Rewards points, the Bally's takeover, and where Australians can play now — and groups them by topic. The picture is drawn from the public regulatory record, which continues to evolve.
Yes. Star's casino properties in Sydney and on the Gold Coast stayed open throughout the crisis, and the group avoided formal voluntary administration. Star sold its stake in the Queen's Wharf Brisbane precinct, which continues to operate under its joint-venture partners. The corporate rescue came in April 2025, when Bally's Corporation, alongside investor Bruce Mathieson, agreed a AUD 300 million funding package that on conversion would give Bally's a controlling stake of up to 56.7%.
The headline position at a glance.
In New South Wales, The Star Sydney's licence has been suspended since October 2022, after the first Bell Inquiry found the company unsuitable to hold it. Rather than cancel the licence, the regulator installed an external manager, Nicholas Weeks, to oversee operations while remediation continues — an arrangement most recently extended to 30 September 2026. In Queensland, Star was fined AU$100 million in December 2022 and faced a 90-day suspension that was repeatedly deferred. Both states chose continued oversight over forcing closure.
The major enforcement actions are summarised here.
| Regulator | Penalty | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Independent Casino Commission (Bell 1) | AU$100M fine | October 2022 | Paid |
| Queensland OLGR | AU$100M fine | December 2022 | Paid |
| NSW Independent Casino Commission (Bell 2) | AU$15M fine | October 2024 | Paid |
| AUSTRAC (Federal Court) | Up to AU$400M sought | Heard 2025 | Decision pending |
| ASIC (Federal Court) | Civil penalties sought | Judgment 2026 | Penalty phase ongoing |
The key milestones in brief.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2021 | AUSTRAC opens an enforcement investigation into Star |
| October 2022 | First Bell findings; NSW licence suspended, AU$100M fine, manager appointed |
| October 2024 | Second Bell report; AU$15M NICC fine; suspension maintained |
| January 2025 | Cash crisis; shares plunge as administration fears peak |
| April 2025 | Bally's agrees a AU$300M rescue for up to a 56.7% stake |
| March 2026 | ASIC judgment delivered; NSW suspension maintained, manager extended |
The human and practical impact came down to a few points.
Star's venues continue to trade under the new ownership structure, and some players are instead considering licensed alternatives such as Crown Melbourne, Crown Perth and Reef Casino. On the online side, the law is firm: under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, offshore online casinos cannot legally serve Australian residents, and the ACMA blocks unlicensed sites. Confirm a licence and current regulatory standing before playing anywhere.
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