Content Writer: Janice Chew • Wednesday, 25/08/2025 - 00:02:59 - AM
The New South Wales government has officially postponed the planned AU $1,000 daily cash cap for patrons at The Star Sydney and Crown Sydney, allowing the current AU $5,000 limit to remain in place until 19 August 2027. Despite originally scheduled for mid‑August 2025, the revised timeline comes after concerted lobbying by casino operators and concerns over operational disruption and job losses.
A spokesman for the Minister for Gaming and Racing, David Harris, explained that the government’s decision reflects recognition of the “requests from the Star and Crown Casinos to continue transitional arrangements for reduced daily cash limits from $5,000 to $1,000 per customer for gaming until 19 August 2027.” This decision also acknowledges the effectiveness of alternative financial crime controls, such as mandatory carded play and stronger customer risk assessments.
The extended grace period comes amid rising regulatory scrutiny following prior anti-money laundering breaches. Both casino groups argued that enforcing the lower cash limit immediately would strain financial performance and risk shifting high-spending patrons to other venues like pubs and clubs with looser restrictions. They pointed to emerging liabilities—and ongoing compliance reforms—as justification for deferment.
A spokesperson for Crown emphasized that the government’s decision “recognises the strong outcomes delivered by Crown’s sweeping regulatory reforms, including the world‑first mandatory carded play program.” Mandatory carded play, introduced at The Star Sydney in October 2024, serves to monitor transactions, track patron behaviour, and enable intervention for safer gambling practices.
Star Entertainment welcomed the delay, stating that continuing with the AU $5,000 limit "allows the existing daily cash limit to remain in effect for another two years, subject to conditions including monitoring the use of cash for gaming purposes and providing ongoing reports to the NSW gaming regulator." The company highlighted that this flexibility was vital amid financial strain tied to a collapsed Queen’s Wharf deal and urgent debt refinancing needs.
The government's concession indicates a willingness to accommodate the operational realities of the casino sector while still strengthening anti-money laundering controls. The continued framework will rely heavily on carded play systems, improved risk profiling, and mandated reporting—providing a layered approach to combat financial crime without abrupt constraints on patrons.
In sum, while anti-money laundering reform continues apace in NSW’s casino industry, the two-year reprieve on the AU $1,000 cash cap offers operators time to adapt and reinforces a phased approach to tighter regulation. Observers will be watching to see if this model becomes a blueprint for similarly regulated markets confronting compliance and guest‑experience pressures.