The state of New South Wales (NSW) has published an evaluation report examining The Star Sydney’s advancement a year after the suggestions of the Bell report were given. The assessment discovered that the gambling establishment has put into practice 22 out of the 30 recommendations.
The evaluation was ordered by the NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing and was made public on the first anniversary of the Bell report.
The remaining eight suggestions are presently being put into practice.
The 30 suggestions cover a broad range of matters, from The Star ceasing to provide complimentary alcoholic beverages to patrons as an enticement to updating anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility regulations.
The Star was deemed unsuitable to hold a NSW casino license after 30 improvement measures were outlined.
The Bell report revealed widespread improper conduct at the casino. The most serious violations included failures in risk management and the fabrication of documents.
In the weeks following the publication of the Bell report, the NSW Independent Casino Commission (established after the Bergin inquiry) appointed Nicholas Weeks as casino administrator. Before this, The Star’s license was suspended indefinitely and the casino was penalized $100 million.
The Star has acknowledged the evaluation.
In recognizing the report, The Star announced it would collaborate with governing bodies “to jointly formulate corrective actions.”
The Star emphasized the report’s segment on the schedule for implementing suggestions.
The report declared: “…many of the proposals are multifaceted, involving intricate processes that will require a longer period to enact and monitor effectively.”
“Moreover, it is expected that many of the proposals will be integrated into The Star’s corrective strategy, which is presently being finalized.”
Proposals not yet finalized
One proposal is for The Star to introduce cardless gaming at its gambling establishment. This action is scheduled to take effect in August 2024. Currently, the NSW Liquor & Gaming Authority is offering technical direction on how The Star should implement the action.
Last month, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews declared a similar action. This action applies to all electronic gaming machine operators in the state.
Bell also suggested that The Star create a system to identify patrons “who are not permanent residents of NSW.” The casino was also requested to update its training.
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