Star Casino Sydney: a Pyrmont guide to Player Cards and cash caps
Star Casino Sydney, at 80 Pyrmont Street in Pyrmont, runs its gaming floor 24 hours a day. Every player now needs a physical Player Card, cash funding is capped at A$5,000 a day at the cashier, and the licence is still suspended, with an NICC-appointed manager running the casino (as of 19 September 2026).
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Star Casino Sydney at a glance
The Star is the only casino in Sydney where the public can walk in and play pokies. Crown Sydney at Barangaroo is members-only, and its licence rules out poker machines, so for a machine in a casino, Pyrmont is it. The casinos in Australia guide lists all 14 venues nationally. A temporary casino opened in 1995, and the permanent casino in Pyrmont followed in November 1997.
The Star Sydney: key facts
- Address
- 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009; car park entry at 55 Pirrama Road
- Hours
- Casino open 24 hours a day; holiday hours not published
- To play
- A valid physical Player Card (free) or The Star Club card
- Cash in
- Up to A$5,000 a day at a cashier; more through your Star Account
- Wins over A$5,000
- EFT within 2 business days, cheque, or into your Star Account
- Parking
- A$20 to A$35 per 6-hour period, A$85 daily maximum
- Operator
- The Star Pty Limited, part of The Star Entertainment Group
- Licence
- Suspended since October 2022; run by an NICC-appointed manager
From The Star's Sydney pages and NICC releases, checked 19 Sep 2026.
Its sister casinos, The Star Gold Coast and The Star Brisbane, run under Queensland rules, so don’t carry these over.
What’s on the gaming floor
The Star lists baccarat, roulette, blackjack and craps among its table games, plus Star Poker, which runs cash games and tournaments. Bingo runs Tuesday to Thursday in The Star Social Lounge. Public listings put the main floor on Level 1 and the Sovereign Room, one of the private gaming rooms, on Level 3. The Star itself describes its private gaming areas as newly revamped.
We haven’t found an official machine or table count for Sydney, so we don’t quote one. The private rooms do differ in one practical way: cash and ticket machines pay out up to A$2,000 a day on the main floor and up to A$5,000 in the private gaming rooms. Crown vs online VIP compares private-room play with an online VIP ladder.
On the machines and electronic tables, Star Assist lets you set a daily spend or play-time limit on compatible games.
NSW pubs and clubs run about 87,000 poker machines across 2,100 venues, but their standard shutdown is 4am to 10am (a few hold approved variations), while The Star keeps going. The pokies near me guide covers pub and club rules by state.
The Player Card and the cash rules
Two rules shape every visit now: no card, no play, and big wins no longer come in notes.
| What you want to do | The rule at The Star Sydney |
|---|---|
| Play any game | Valid physical Player Card or The Star Club card |
| Get the card | Kiosk on the main floor, or apply in The Star App and collect at the Guest Service Desk |
| ID for the card | Passport, Australian driver licence or NSW Digital Licence |
| Fund play with cash | Up to A$5,000 a day at a cashier |
| Top up by EFTPOS | Australian debit cards only, up to A$10,000 a transaction, 0.43% fee |
| Cash out at a cashier | Capped at A$5,000; larger sums by EFT or cheque |
| Cash out at a ticket machine | A$2,000 a day on the main floor, A$5,000 in private rooms |
| Win over A$5,000 | EFT within 2 business days, cheque, or Star Account |
The free Player Card carries no loyalty benefits. The Star Club card is the one that earns tier points, and your tier decides perks such as free parking.
Hand pays ended on 19 August 2024. A machine now locks for an attendant once its credit meter reaches A$5,000 or more (the exact trigger varies by machine but is never above A$7,500), and the win is paid by EFT, cheque or into your Star Account. Land A$8,000 on a Saturday night and you won’t walk out with A$8,000 in notes.
The A$5,000 daily cash limit covers both Sydney casinos. A legislated cut to A$1,000 has been pushed back to 19 August 2027, on the condition that both casinos track and report customer cash use, and the NSW Government can bring it in early.
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Open a SafeCasino account in AUD, upload your ID once and deposit from A$10. Deposit 1 is matched 100% up to A$1,000 with up to 300 free spins.
Hours, entry and dress code
Star Casino opening hours are 24 hours a day, but we found no Good Friday, ANZAC Day or Christmas Day hours on The Star’s Sydney pages, and its Queensland casinos close for part of each of those days, so ring ahead before a holiday visit rather than assume.
At the door, bags may be inspected and metal-detection scans run. Staff may ask for ID, so carry it. Photos and filming aren’t allowed.
The dress standard is neat and tidy, and the refusal list is specific:
- singlets or sleeveless tops (men), and ripped or soiled clothing, although designer rips are fine
- dirty work wear, face paint or disguises, fake security or police clothing
- clothing with offensive slogans, offensive or gang tattoos, and gang colours
You also can’t bring in a bag bigger than 56 × 36 × 23 cm, a pram, a large umbrella, or food and drink.
Parking and getting there
The Star charges per 6-hour period, and the rate depends on when you arrive:
| You arrive | Mon to Thu | Fri to Sun and public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| 5pm to 11pm | A$25 | A$35 |
| 11pm to 5pm | A$20 | A$30 |
| Daily maximum (also lost ticket) | A$85 | A$85 |
Arrive at 8pm on a Friday and six hours cost A$35; on a Tuesday, A$25. Valet is A$85 Sunday to Thursday and A$95 on Friday, Saturday and public holidays (A$135 for oversized vehicles), motorbikes pay A$7 per 24 hours, and anything over 2.0 m high can’t park at all. The members’ entrance is at 2 Edward Street.
Gold members of The Star Club park free, and Platinum and Diamond members get priority parking on level 2. Bronze and Silver members park free after earning 1 Tier Point, but that offer runs only until 30 September 2026.
Without a car: light rail from Central via Darling Harbour, bus 389, or a ferry from Circular Quay. The Star Express coaches are temporarily suspended.
Is The Star Sydney’s licence still suspended?
Yes. As of 19 September 2026 the licence is suspended, and the casino trades under a manager appointed by the NICC, the state’s casino regulator.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 21 Oct 2022 | NICC suspends the licence, fines The Star A$100m and appoints a manager |
| 18 Oct 2024 | A further A$15m fine; the suspension continues |
| 2 Jun 2026 | A$10m in fines plus a A$5m enforceable undertaking |
| 26 Aug 2026 | NICC outlines a proposed path to a conditional return; no decision |
| 30 Sep 2026 | The manager’s current term ends |
On the night, the suspension changes little: the floor runs as normal. The June 2026 fines show what the regulator is watching. A$1.5m was for play without the prescribed breaks, in the worst cases for more than 36 hours straight, and A$3m for turning reward points into cash for at least 1,898 patrons. Pyrmont isn’t the only casino settling with a regulator this year: South Australia’s only casino agreed in principle in June 2026 to pay the state A$21m. We’ll update this page when the NICC decides.
The Star vs playing online
A night in Pyrmont against SafeCasino on your phone:
| Compared | The Star Sydney | SafeCasino online |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 24 hours; holiday hours unpublished | Any hour |
| Before you play | Physical Player Card from a kiosk or desk | AUD account, ID and proof of address uploaded once |
| Dress and bags | Neat and tidy; no bags over 56 × 36 × 23 cm | None |
| Getting there | Parking up to A$85, or light rail | None |
| Money in | A$5,000 cash a day; 0.43% EFTPOS fee | From A$10, no casino fees |
| Big wins | Over A$5,000 by EFT within 2 business days | E-wallet or crypto, up to 3 days to process; 4,000 EUR/USD a day cap |
| Games | Tables, craps, poker room, bingo, machines | 4,000+ games: pokies, crash, live dealer |
| Rewards | The Star Club tiers and tier points | 100% up to A$1,000 + up to 300 FS, four times |
| Limit tools | Star Assist spend and time limits | Self-exclusion through live chat |
| Licence | NSW licence, suspended, under a manager | Offshore brand, not licensed in Australia |
Online wins on access: no drive, no card to collect, no dress code, demo mode on every game, and A$10 opens a welcome stage. The live casino guide covers the blackjack, roulette and baccarat tables with real dealers, which are the closest thing to the Pyrmont pits.
Skip the A$35 Friday car park
Tick the welcome card and deposit A$200: you play with A$400 and collect 300 free spins over three days.
The Star keeps the edge on an Australian licence, Star Assist’s limits and the noise of a busy craps table or a poker tournament. Online, you set your budget yourself before the first deposit.
Settle two things first. SafeCasino doesn’t support card payouts to Australia, so pick Skrill, Neteller or a crypto wallet for cash-outs and verify your ID early; the withdrawal guide has the caps and steps. For the legal position, read what the law says. When you’re set, open SafeCasino’s lobby in demo mode and try a few pokies before a dollar goes in.
Questions Aussies ask
Is Star Casino Sydney open 24 hours?
Yes. The Star says its Sydney casino operates 24 hours a day. It doesn't publish Good Friday, ANZAC Day or Christmas Day hours for Sydney, so check with the casino before a public-holiday visit.
Do you need a card to play at The Star Sydney?
Yes. Every player needs a valid physical Player Card: either the free Player Card, which has no loyalty benefits, or a card from The Star Club. You can get one at a kiosk on the main floor with a passport, an Australian driver licence or an NSW Digital Licence.
How much cash can you use at The Star Sydney?
Up to A$5,000 in cash a day at a cashier. Anything more has to go through your Star Account electronically, for example an EFTPOS top-up from an Australian debit card of up to A$10,000 per transaction, which carries a 0.43% fee.
How much does parking cost at Star Casino Sydney?
A$20 to A$35 for each 6-hour period, depending on when you arrive and the day of the week, with a daily maximum of A$85. Valet costs A$85 from Sunday to Thursday and A$95 on Friday, Saturday and public holidays.
Is The Star Sydney's licence still suspended?
Yes, as of 19 September 2026. It has been suspended since October 2022, and the casino keeps trading under a manager appointed by the NICC whose term runs to 30 September 2026. A conditional return was floated in August 2026, but no decision had been published.
What is the Sovereign Room at The Star?
It is one of The Star Sydney's private gaming rooms, and public listings place it on Level 3, above the main floor. One practical difference in the private rooms: cash and ticket machines pay out up to A$5,000 a day, against A$2,000 on the main floor.
No drive, no dress code
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No queue for a seat, no parking ticket, no closing time.
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