A new report by the NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing has revealed that 22 of 30 recommendations emanating from the Bell Review into Star Entertainment Group have now been implemented, with the remaining eight in progress.
The Bell Review, first announced in September 2021 to assess the suitability of Star to continue holding its casino license for The Star Sydney, ultimately found the company unsuitable due to serious governance and risk management failures, breaches of regulation, failure to implement adequate anti-money laundering controls, and deceptive and unethical behavior, among others.
As a result, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) suspended Star’s casino license, imposed a AU$100 million penalty and appointed an independent manager to hold Star’s license while the company attempts to return to suitability.
The Bell Review also listed out a number of recommendations for the NICC, with the Minister for Gaming and Racing revealing via a report published on Tuesday that most of these have now been implemented. Of the eight recommendations still outstanding, the report states, “many of the recommendations are multi-faceted, with complex workstreams which require longer time frames to allow for effective implementation and monitoring. In addition, many of the recommendations are expected to be built into The Star’s remediation plan which is in the process of being finalized.”
Recommendations yet to be fully implemented include a review of Star’s rebate programs since 2016 including any outstanding duty liabilities, the implementation of mandatory carded play, and certain improvements to its responsible gaming program.
In a Tuesday filing following release of its FY23 financial results, Star said it “continues to engage with the appointed Manager and relevant regulators in relation to its remediation initiatives.”
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