Crown Resorts Barangaroo – No Pokies!

Crown Resorts new casino in Sydney’s Barangaroo site will not have any poker machines after rival casino operator The Star signed an exclusive 21 year deal with the New South Wales state government.

The news on this for Crown Resorts is another blow to the casino development in Harbour City as already its planned main customers rich Chinese nationals will not be coming to play when the casino opens for business in February 2021.

Crown had tried for several years to lobby the government to remove the exclusive rights to run poker machines (known as pokies) in the territory but failed each time it tried.

Now with that news and the fact that China is refusing to let their gamblers play in Australia as they fear a flood of cash leaving the country, along now with the impact of COVID-19 stopping major international travel, Crown Resorts are now focusing on the local market.

Crown Resorts CEO Ken Barton said in a recent statement: ‘we have always been a destination designed for both Sydneysiders and visitors alike. We are looking forward to opening our doors and playing our part to help boost the domestic travel and tourism economy.”

The  Barangaroo site has since its conception been dogged by bad news, even in its building design, which wanted to be the tallest in Sydney but was refused. How the company now aims to rake back the $2.4 billion it is costing with a local market only will be challenging.