Sydney Casino 2026: The Star & Crown Sydney Complete Guide

The Sydney casino landscape in 2026 is unlike any other Australian capital: two world-class properties on opposite sides of Darling Harbour, each with its own personality, dress standard and clientele. The Star Sydney in Pyrmont is the long-established, full-service entertainment complex with pokies, table games, six restaurants and the Sydney Lyric Theatre; Crown Sydney at Barangaroo is the slim glass blade rising over the harbour, home to a six-star hotel, Michelin-starred dining and a premium gaming program. This guide explains how each property works in 2026 – including the current regulatory situation at The Star – what to wear, how to get in, where to eat without ever touching a chip, and how to use either venue purely as a dining and entertainment destination.

01Sydney’s two casinos at a glance

For most visitors, choosing between Sydney casino venues comes down to what kind of night out you want. The Star is busy, broad, accessible and built for crowds; Crown Sydney is quieter, more exclusive and built around premium hospitality with a much smaller gaming footprint. Both properties admit only adults to gaming floors, but anyone of any age is welcome in the restaurants, bars and theatres provided they meet the relevant venue’s dress code.

02The Star Sydney complete guide

The Star Sydney sits on a hill above Pyrmont Bay, a fifteen-minute walk or single light rail stop from the CBD. It opened on 13 November 1995 as Star City, was rebranded to The Star in 2011 after a major refurbishment, and has been the city’s only mass-market Sydney casino for three decades. The complex spans gaming floors, two hotels, more than twenty restaurants and bars, the 2,000-seat Sydney Lyric Theatre, the Event Centre and a riverside promenade that connects to the Pyrmont Bay ferry.

Gaming floor

The Star’s main gaming floor occupies multiple levels with around 1,500 electronic gaming machines (pokies) and more than 200 table games when fully operational, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, sic bo, mini-baccarat and a dedicated poker room. The Sovereign Room, Inner Sanctum and Chairman’s Lounge sit above the main floor as private and VIP areas. Minimum bets on the main floor typically start from AUD$5 on tables and one cent on pokies; high-limit tables run considerably higher.

Regulatory status in 2026

It is important to understand that The Star’s NSW casino licence has been formally suspended since October 2022 following the Bell Inquiry, which found that the operator had failed money-laundering, source-of-funds and responsible-gambling tests. The casino has remained open throughout the suspension under the supervision of an independent manager appointed by the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC). In April 2026, the NICC extended the suspension by a further six months after The Star elected not to seek a licence determination, meaning day-to-day operations continue under independent oversight while the company pursues its “pathway to suitability.” For visitors, the practical impact is minimal – pokies, tables, restaurants and shows all run as normal – but the property’s long-term ownership and licence position remains under active review.

Restaurants at The Star

Even people who never gamble visit The Star for the dining. The headline venues include:

• Sokyo – Chase Kojima’s contemporary Japanese restaurant on Level G of The Darling hotel, consistently rated among Sydney’s best Japanese rooms. Smart casual dress; bookings essential at weekends.
• BLACK Bar & Grill – The Star’s modern Australian steakhouse, with dry-aged beef, an extensive wine list and harbour views. Smart elegant dress code, particularly after 6pm.
• Cucina Porto – Casual Italian for families and pre-show diners, with wood-fired pizzas, pastas and a fast-paced service style.
• Garden Buffet – The long-running buffet on the main floor, with international live-cooking stations and weekend seafood spreads. Popular with families and groups.
• Court 14 – Casual sports-bar style dining with multiple screens, share plates and late-night service – the place to watch the cricket or the NRL final.
• Federal House – Local-pub-style venue with rotating taps, hearty plates and a less formal vibe than the main casino restaurants.

Around these are the lobby cafes, the Astral pool deck, casual outlets in the food precinct and the Treehouse Bar – a leafy first-floor cocktail bar that has become a Pyrmont landmark in its own right.

Sydney Lyric Theatre and the Event Centre

The Sydney Lyric Theatre, attached to The Star, is the city’s premier venue for touring musicals – past productions include Hamilton, Frozen, & Juliet, Wicked and, in 2026, Waitress. The 2,000-seat auditorium has its own entrance off the foyer so patrons do not need to walk through the gaming floor. The adjoining Sydney Event Centre handles larger concerts, comedy, awards nights and corporate events. The Star also has a smaller Sydney Showroom for cabaret and one-off acts.

Treehouse Bar

Set on a mezzanine overlooking the public concourse, the Treehouse Bar is The Star’s signature drinks venue – timber, greenery and a cocktail list built around native Australian botanicals. It is open to the general public, does not require entry to the gaming floor and tends to fill up before Lyric Theatre curtain calls.

03Crown Sydney at Barangaroo: the premium Sydney casino

Crown Sydney occupies the slim, twisted glass tower at One Barangaroo, the tallest building on the harbour. It opened on 28 December 2020 – around two years later than originally planned because of regulatory delays – and was conceived from day one as a premium-only Sydney casino. There is no general-admission pokies floor and no mass-market gaming hall. Instead, the property combines Crown Towers Sydney (a six-star hotel), the Crystal Club lounge for hotel and members, six destination restaurants, several bars and a discreet, members- and VIP-focused gaming program.

Gaming at Crown Sydney

Gaming at Crown Sydney is positioned for premium players: high-limit table games (baccarat, blackjack, roulette, sic bo), private salons and a strong focus on privacy and service. Mass-market pokies are not part of the offering, which is one of the most important differences between the two Sydney casino venues. Access to gaming areas requires Crown Rewards membership and meeting the standard 18+ identification and responsible-gaming checks; Crown also operates its own internal cooling-off, pre-commitment and self-exclusion systems on top of the statewide BetStop register.

The Crystal Club

The Crystal Club is Crown Sydney’s signature hotel club lounge, perched high in the tower with floor-to-ceiling harbour views, all-day food and drink, a dedicated concierge and one of the best Opera House panoramas in the city. Access is via Crystal Club room rates, suite bookings or a small number of upgrade packages, and it is a popular reason to book a night at Crown Towers Sydney for a special occasion rather than for the gaming.

Restaurants at Crown Sydney

Crown Sydney’s restaurant line-up is widely considered the strongest in any Australian casino:

• Oncore by Clare Smyth – The Sydney outpost of London’s three-Michelin-star chef, on Level 26 with sweeping harbour views and a strict smart-elegant dress code. Tasting and a la carte menus; long lead time on weekend bookings.
• Nobu Crown Sydney – The Australian flagship of the global Nobu Matsuhisa group, with signature black cod, sushi counter and harbour terrace seating.
• Woodcut – Ross and Sunny Lusted’s wood, charcoal, steam and ice-driven Australian restaurant in the resort podium, with multiple open kitchens and a strong wine program.
• a’Mare – Alessandro Pavoni’s coastal Italian dining room on the lower level, known for handmade pasta, whole grilled fish and a vast Italian wine list.
• Silks – Refined contemporary Cantonese on Level 1, with private dining rooms popular for business and family banquets.
• Yoshii’s Omakase – A ten-seat Japanese counter with a single nightly tasting from sushi master Ryuichi Yoshii.

Bars include the Sky Deck-level Crown Aer, the lobby champagne bar and several pool-deck venues at Crown Towers, all of which are open to the public subject to dress code and capacity.

Crown Towers Sydney

Crown Towers Sydney is the hotel above the resort, billed by Crown as Sydney’s first six-star property. It has 349 guest rooms, 20 villas and two premium villas across more than thirty floors, plus an infinity pool, the Crown Spa and direct access to the restaurants and Crown Rewards facilities below. Almost every room enjoys some view of the harbour, Barangaroo Reserve or the city skyline.

04Restaurants without gambling: using the Sydney casino venues as dining destinations

Both Sydney casino properties operate restaurants and bars that are completely independent of the gaming floors. You do not need to be a member, you do not need to enter the casino, and in most cases you do not even pass through the gaming areas to reach your table.

• At The Star, Sokyo, BLACK Bar & Grill, Cucina Porto, the Garden Buffet and the Treehouse Bar all have direct access from the public concourse. Children are welcome in all these venues at appropriate hours, even though they cannot enter the gaming floor.
• At Crown Sydney, Oncore, Nobu, Woodcut, a’Mare and Silks are configured so that diners arrive through the hotel and restaurant podium without passing through gaming rooms at all. Children can dine in the restaurants but cannot enter the gaming salons or hotel club lounges that have age restrictions.

For first-time visitors who are not gamblers, this is the most important practical point: a Sydney casino dinner is simply a Sydney harbourfront dinner with extra security and a slightly stricter dress code.

05Shows and entertainment

The Star is by far the bigger entertainment programmer of the two Sydney casino properties. The Sydney Lyric Theatre regularly hosts the biggest touring musicals; the Sydney Event Centre and Sydney Showroom run year-round programs of concerts, comedy, cabaret and corporate events. Tickets sit alongside dinner packages with the on-site restaurants, which is often the easiest way to plan a pre-show evening.

Crown Sydney does not operate a public theatre but uses the resort’s large ballroom and meeting spaces for galas, fashion shows, awards nights and private concerts. Big harbour fireworks nights – New Year’s Eve, Vivid, Australia Day – are particularly busy across both properties; book restaurants months in advance for those dates.

06Hotels on the Sydney casino strip

Each property has its own accommodation offering:

• The Darling – The Star’s five-star boutique hotel with 171 rooms, a day spa, indoor pool and direct corridor access to Sokyo and the gaming floor.
• Astral Tower & Residences – The Star’s larger four/five-star hotel tower above the main complex with harbour and city-view rooms and the outdoor Astral pool.
• Crown Towers Sydney – Crown’s six-star tower with full club-lounge service, signature spa, infinity pool and direct elevator access to restaurants and the Crystal Club.

The Star hotels are noticeably more family-friendly, with larger pool decks and easier access to Darling Harbour attractions; Crown Towers is geared firmly toward couples, business and luxury travellers.

07Getting there

The two Sydney casino venues are on opposite sides of Darling Harbour, both within easy walking distance of the CBD but reached most easily by different modes of public transport.

The Star (Pyrmont)

• Light rail – The L1 Dulwich Hill line stops at “The Star,” directly outside the main entrance, about ten minutes from Central Station.
• Ferry – The F4 Pyrmont Bay ferry from Circular Quay drops you a three-minute walk from the casino entrance via the waterfront promenade.
• Walking – It is roughly a 15-20-minute walk from the QVB or Town Hall across the Pyrmont Bridge.
• Driving – Self-park and valet are available off Pirrama Road; the car park is large and signposted from the Western Distributor.

Crown Sydney (Barangaroo)

• Metro – The Barangaroo Metro station on the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line sits a short walk from the Crown Towers entrance.
• Ferry – Barangaroo ferry wharf connects to Circular Quay and lower north shore routes.
• Walking – Wynyard Station is around ten minutes via the Wynyard Walk tunnel, which exits directly into the Barangaroo precinct.
• Driving – Crown has its own valet and self-park entrance off Hickson Road.

Taxis and rideshare pick-up points are clearly marked at both properties. Taxi ranks at The Star can be busy after Lyric Theatre shows, so factor in an extra ten to fifteen minutes if you are leaving immediately after the curtain.

08Entry rules, ID and dress code

Both Sydney casino venues are bound by NSW gaming legislation, so the headline rules are the same at each:

• Minimum age – You must be 18 or over to enter the gaming floor. Government-issued photo ID is mandatory; expect to be asked for it on every visit, regardless of how old you look.
• Excluded persons – Anyone on the NSW self-exclusion list, the national BetStop register or excluded by the operator is refused entry by facial-recognition and ID systems.
• Children – Minors are welcome in restaurants, hotel lobbies and theatres but cannot enter the gaming floor under any circumstances, even briefly to find a parent.
• Bags – Larger bags must be checked into the free lockers near the casino entrance. Knives, weapons and recording devices are prohibited.

The Star dress code

The Star’s casino dress standard is “neat and tidy” smart casual. Not permitted: thongs (flip-flops), open sandals on men, singlets and muscle tops, ripped or stained clothing, sportswear that includes club colours, helmets, and clothing displaying offensive imagery. Closed shoes with socks, jeans, t-shirts with sleeves, smart shorts and tailored sportswear are all acceptable on the main floor. The Sovereign Room and high-limit areas enforce a noticeably tighter dress code; restaurants such as BLACK and Sokyo expect smart elegant attire.

Crown Sydney dress code

Crown Sydney’s standard is “smart elegant.” Tailored trousers or jeans, collared shirts or smart tops, and closed shoes are the baseline; thongs, sportswear, beachwear, ripped denim and visible activewear are not accepted in the gaming and signature dining areas. Oncore, Woodcut and the Crystal Club lift the bar further, particularly after 6pm. If in doubt, dress up.

09Responsible gambling

NSW has tightened responsible-gambling rules considerably in recent years, partly in response to the Bell Inquiry and the broader review of Sydney casino operations. Practical features at both venues include:

• Mandatory ID and carded play on certain machines and table-game thresholds.
• Pre-commitment limits – members can set daily and monthly loss and time limits that are enforced by the system.
• Self-exclusion – both casinos run their own self-exclusion programs in addition to the NSW state scheme and the national BetStop register, which blocks all licensed online wagering.
• On-site support – dedicated responsible-gambling officers and quiet rooms are available 24/7. GambleAware NSW counselling is free and confidential on 1800 858 858.

If gambling is not the point of your visit, do not feel obliged to play – both venues are designed to be visited just for the food, the views and the shows.

10Member rewards programs

Both Sydney casino properties run their own loyalty programs that work across restaurants, hotels and gaming.

• Star Club – The Star’s program with tiered membership earning points on gaming, dining, hotel stays and entertainment, redeemable across the complex. Sign-up is free at the membership desk near the main entrance and requires photo ID.
• Crown Rewards – Crown’s loyalty program with five tiers culminating in invitation-only Black status. Points earned across hotels, restaurants, bars and gaming can be redeemed for dining, accommodation, events and table play. Joining is free at any Crown Rewards desk.

If you plan to dine more than once at either property, signing up before your first booking is almost always worthwhile for the dining credits and parking benefits alone.

11Best time to visit

Sydney casino venues run on broadly opposite rhythms. The Star is busiest on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm onwards, particularly when a Lyric Theatre show is on; weekday afternoons and Sunday lunch are markedly quieter and easier for first-time visitors who want a relaxed introduction. Crown Sydney is busier on premium dining nights (Thursday-Saturday from 6pm) and during major events on the harbour. Sunsets from Oncore, Crown Aer or the Astral pool deck across summer (December-February) are among the best non-gambling reasons to visit either property.

12Tipping etiquette

Australia does not have a strong tipping culture. At Sydney casino restaurants and bars you are not expected to tip; service charges are not added to the bill. A 5-10 per cent rounding-up at fine-dining venues such as Oncore, Woodcut, Sokyo or BLACK is appreciated but never required. Tipping dealers is generally not part of the local culture and at some tables is not permitted under operator policy.

13Beyond the gaming floors: nearby entertainment precincts

One of the advantages of Sydney’s two casino venues is that they sit inside larger entertainment precincts that are worth a wander even if you do not enter the gaming areas.

• Darling Harbour, across the bridge from The Star, includes SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, the Australian National Maritime Museum, the ICC Sydney convention complex and a long string of waterfront restaurants and bars.
• Barangaroo Reserve, immediately behind Crown Sydney, is a sandstone-headland park with walking trails, harbour views and one of the best sunset spots in the city.
• Wulugul Walk, the harbourfront promenade linking Barangaroo South with Walsh Bay, runs along the base of Crown Sydney and is open 24 hours.

It is entirely feasible to spend a full day moving between Pyrmont, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo on foot, using ferries and the light rail, without setting foot on a gaming floor at all.

14FAQ

15Helpful resources for planning your Sydney trip

For the very latest information on opening hours, ticketing and transport, the following official resources are kept up to date:

• The Star Sydney
• Crown Sydney
• Lyric Theatre Sydney
• NSW Independent Casino Commission
• GambleAware NSW
• Sydney.com nightlife

16Related Sydney guides

More on Sydney after dark:

• Sydney nightlife
• where to dance late
• what to do at Darling Harbour
• fine dining
• Sydney’s best bars
• staying at Darling Harbour