The Australian Financial Review can reveal Bally’s Corporation, which has 19 casinos across 11 American states, sent representatives to Australia to meet Star and visit its casinos last week, and has also met key Star shareholders and lenders. The half-year accounts, originally scheduled for release in February, showed a steep decline in revenues, which Star attributed to the introduction of stricter payment requirements at its Sydney casino. The rules, which started in October, force patrons to use a pre-paid card, which makes gambling more difficult and reduces the risk of money laundering. In 2022, The Star Entertainment Group was found unfit to hold casino licences in both New South Wales and Queensland.