The Star Sydney is a large entertainment complex in Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia. It used to be called Star City Casino and before that, Sydney Harbour Casino. It is the second biggest casino in Australia, after Crown Melbourne in Melbourne. Among these was Alvin Chau, boss of Macau-based junket Suncity, to whom the casino supplied a credit line of up to AU$266.67 million (US$174 million). That’s despite Australian authorities expressing concerns about Chau’s purported links to organized crime, specifically the 14K triads, as far back as 2017. AUSTRAC brought civil penalty proceedings against the company in November 2022 for alleged breaches of anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing laws. Bally’s also made clear that it did not support the Queen’s Wharf deal and wished to keep all of Star’s assets together.
Crown offers a 220,000 square feet gaming floor featuring around 399 table games, including a vast array of blackjack variants from Crown Blackjack to Crown Pontoon, as well as a variety of rule variations. Instead, as the Bell inquiry was later to learn, Star became good at covering its tracks. It removed Suncity’s branding from its private gaming salon, where bags of cash persisted and which continued to be operated for the junket operator’s exclusive use. It disregarded independent audits of its money laundering systems, misled banks and helped Chinese high rollers to disguise their gambling expenses. The Star Sydney blends luxury hotel stays, innovative dining, competitive gaming, and entertainment excellence into a single iconic venue on Darling Harbour. As a cornerstone of city tourism and nightlife, The Star delivers a memorable Australian casino experience—whether for high-stakes play, gourmet indulgence, or evening events. Its reputation for fairness, safety, and relentless innovation keeps guests returning, making it a must-visit destination for anyone exploring Sydney’s leisure scene.