The Star Entertainment Group has appointed former Bally’s executive Ameet Patel as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of two of its venues: The Star Brisbane and The Star...
Steve McCann leaves CEO position at Star Entertainment
On December 16, 2025, Star Entertainment announced that, effective immediately, Steve McCann would step down from his CEO and managing director role.
McCann was appointed in July 2024 when Star was in a period of regulatory and financial distress. Despite the announcement, he has agreed to remain available and provide support during the transition until July 8, 2026.
He was initially brought in to prevent insolvency and rebuild credibility while the company was under conditional licensing arrangements. McCann’s compensation, including a $2.5 million base salary and a $7.5 million sign-on bonus, showed the urgency of the situation.
McCann noted:
“The strategic investment by Bally’s Corporation and Investment Holdings Pty Ltd provides an opportunity for The Star to move in a new direction. Now is the right time for new leadership to be put in place with the experience and passion to build on that momentum and take The Star forward.”
McCann’s departure is expected to cause a big change in Star’s ownership structure. Just recently, Bally’s Corporation invested around $300 million in the Star and acquired a joint stake of 61%, including a 38% holding by Bally’s.
The transaction was a key step in Star’s recapitalization process and helped reduce immediate solvency issues.
Australia’s New South Wales gaming regulator has imposed a $7.2 million fine on Star Entertainment’s Sydney casino over financial crime risk management breaches.In...
