The managing director of Star Sydney Casino and Hotel announced on February 5, 2016 that the hotel is fully booked for the Lunar New Year celebrations. The event is an important one for any casino industry; particularly, in Macau. Celebrations will start Monday, February 8, 2016. The Star Sydney Casino is happy to be booked for the holiday. It will be a week long holiday, where many Chinese gamblers are going to be visiting Sydney. It shows that despite the decrease in Macau’s gambling income, Australia and New Zealand are still attracting VIP gamblers.
The Star provides VIP gaming areas, as well as mass market gaming facilities. Both the casino and hotel rooms are booked.
Greg Hawkins, the managing director stated, “There was a significant demand for its restaurants, hotel rooms and casino facilities with more than 4000 room nights booked over the next fortnight.”
The casino has added a few new VIP rooms to fulfill the high-roller gambling needs. The rooms will provide baccarat to Chinese VIPs.
In previous years, Chinese gamblers either went to Macau or James Packer’s Crown Resorts Melbourne Casino. The Star spent a great deal to renovate the casino and hotel. The venue’s quality has increased, helping to close the gap between the Melbourne location and the Star.
Corruption concerns are keeping gamblers from Macau this year. Macau is the only place gambling is legal in China. However, the country is trying to stop corruption, which makes it uncomfortable for VIPs to go to the island. Instead, they have booked with Australian and New Zealand casinos.
The Star is in discussions with New South Wales Government officials to build a 360-room hotel on to the Sydney casino complex.
In Queens Wharf, Fart East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook have partnered to build a $3 billion casino resort. The Brisbane located casino would be competition for the Star.