Content Writer: Janice Chew • Thursday, 25/11/2025 - 23:12:08 - PM
Australia’s Star Entertainment Group is set to cut up to 40 senior roles in a cost-reduction move ahead of the US gaming company Bally’s Corporation formally taking control. According to a report in the Australian Financial Review, Star distributed an internal memo indicating the restructure would “align with the group and property strategies” but it acknowledged that “some job losses … will be challenging for people”.
The job cuts come as part of a broader rescue and takeover deal in which Bally’s and local investor Bruce Mathieson are poised to acquire a combined majority stake — about 61.02 % — in Star under a AU$300 million (approx.) package, contingent upon regulatory and suitability approvals.
Star has been under intense pressure in recent years, facing heavy losses, regulatory scrutiny and a collapse in consumer demand. A banking dispute earlier this year delayed its results and highlighted looming liquidity problems, reinforcing the urgency of the takeover.
Bally’s sees this as a strategic opportunity: its chairman, Soo Kim, has publicly stated that the Australian market is part of its turnaround strategy — taking a troubled operator like Star and refocusing it for the domestic gaming market.
The expected senior-staff reductions are both symbolic and practical: they signal a clean break from the past and an alignment with new leadership and operational priorities. Star’s CEO and Managing Director, Steve McCann, emphasised in the memo the objective to become “future-ready”, though acknowledged the human impact of the changes.
