In just a few days, casino operator Echo Entertainment will submit its proposal for plans to expand The Star Casino. The details of the expansion have been quiet, but Clubs NSW is eager to know what is in store, and how it will affect the local pokie market. All we know at the moment is that The Star Casino is going to spend $1 billion turning The Star Casino into a resort property.

The proposal has been made to compete with Crown Casinos’ plans to build a high roller venue in Sydney. If approved, Crown’s new casino would take exclusivity away from The Star, and Echo’s proposal aims to prevent this from happening. However, Clubs NSW is not looking forward to find out how Echo Entertainment will make its renovations possible.

Earlier in the year, the casino operator requested 1000 new pokies from the government in order to fund the construction of a $65 million entertainment centre. If the company plans on funding the $1 billion refurbishment with pokie revenue, Clubs NSW is concerned that Echo Entertainment will request even more games.

“They can’t expect the state government to sign off on letting them have more pokies so they can increase profits for their shareholders,” says Anthony Ball, CEO of ClubsNSW. “Echo needs to explain exactly what its expansion in gaming will include and whether or not that includes an increase in poker machines.” The problem with this possibility is that Echo Entertainment will create more competition with local gaming clubs.

If Crown receives thousands more pokies, then smaller clubs will find it difficult to compete with the gambling powerhouse. As such, it is important for ClubsNSW to know exactly what Echo Entertainment has planned, so that the organization can determine how to plan for the future of Sydney’s gambling market. O'Farrell has requested that Echo Entertainment and Crown Casinos keep the details of their proposals under wraps.

However, it may be crucial for Echo to share some information with the public.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.