Two of Sydney's most prominent casinos have been hit with multimillion-dollar fines after a 16-year-old boy from the Northern Beaches repeatedly entered their gaming floors over a five-month period, gambling away tens of thousands of dollars using a fake driver's licence.
The NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has ordered Crown Sydney to pay $1.75 million and The Star Sydney to pay $500,000 following an investigation into how the teenager — from the suburb of Cromer — was able to access both venues between April and August 2025.
How a 16-Year-Old Gambled $21,000 Across Two Sydney Casinos
The boy visited Crown Sydney on 19 separate occasions, losing more than $21,000 in total. During that time, he attained silver membership status at the venue and was served complimentary alcoholic drinks — a detail regulators specifically called out as an additional breach involving the illegal service of alcohol to a minor.
At The Star Sydney, the teenager attended on three occasions, spending close to $400, before being detected and stopped during a fourth attempt to enter. On at least one visit, he was accompanied by his mother.
The teen used a fake driver's licence to gain entry on each occasion. He has since been banned from both casinos, with that ban to take legal effect when he turns 18. It is understood he subsequently applied for and was granted self-exclusion through an online process.
Regulators Condemn 'Significant Failures' in Casino ID Checks
NICC Chief Commissioner Philip Crawford said both casinos had acknowledged responsibility for breakdowns in their identity verification and customer onboarding procedures, but stressed that accepting blame did not reduce the gravity of what occurred.
"This does not diminish the seriousness of allowing a 16-year-old to enter casino gaming areas and gamble away a significant amount of money," Crawford said. "In the case of Crown Sydney this also included the illegal service and consumption of complimentary alcohol."
Crawford also underlined the broader importance of robust ID verification — not only for protecting minors but for identifying fraud and criminal activity within NSW's licensed casino venues.
Liquor and Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) conducted the investigation and will continue to monitor both operators. The agency's executive director of regulatory operations, Dimitri Argeres, described the situation as unacceptable.
"The breakdown in safeguards that allowed a vulnerable young person to repeatedly access casino gaming areas and suffer actual harm is unacceptable," Argeres said.
What the Casinos Are Doing to Prevent It Happening Again
Crown Sydney confirmed it had strengthened its identification processes following the incident. Measures introduced include enhanced training for staff on detecting fraudulent ID documents, random spot checks, and the adoption of new identity verification technology. The casino said it had notified the regulator itself after becoming aware the individual was underage and had cooperated fully with the investigation.
"Crown Sydney takes its obligation in relation to minors and the use of false identification extremely seriously," the casino said in a statement.
The NICC confirmed both casinos had agreed to implement additional security measures and further staff training as a condition of resolving the matter. The Star Sydney had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
A Warning to the Industry
The case has drawn fresh scrutiny to the adequacy of age-verification practices at major Australian casino venues, and raises questions about whether existing onboarding systems are fit for purpose in an era of increasingly sophisticated false documentation. Regulators have signalled that ongoing monitoring of both sites will continue, with the expectation that the upgraded controls are maintained and effective.
The fines add to a difficult period for Sydney's casino sector, which has faced sustained regulatory pressure in recent years over compliance and governance failures. For families and community advocates, the case — involving a teenager who gambled thousands and was handed complimentary drinks — is likely to fuel calls for tougher national standards on casino entry verification.
