Star City Casino
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Star City Hotel and Casino(formerly Sydney Harbour Casino) is a hotel and casino in Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia. Fronting onto Darling Harbour, Star City features three gaming floors, six bars, seven restaurants and four-hundred and eighty hotel rooms. It is licenced to be New South Wales' only casino until 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Gaming Areas
The casino features three gaming floors - the main gaming floor, the Endeavour Room, with average table bet range of $100 to $75,000 on baccarat, and the Inner Sanctum, with table bet range of $100 to $200,000 on baccarat; the latter two are only available to high rollers and international guests following an application for membership and review by Star City managemement.
The main gaming floor is divided into three major parts - Table Games, Electronic Gaming, and Poker. The amount of poker tables has been steadily increased by Star City management and now stands at 14 tables.
[edit] Table Games
Star City provides many traditional casino games to patrons, including baccarat, blackjack, Caribbean Stud, craps, Pai Gow, poker, Pontoon, roulette, Sic Bo, Three-Card Poker, and Four-Card Poker.
In December 2005, a new game Double-Chance was trialed but was discontinued soon after; Players, referring to the games high house advantage, dubbed the game 'No-Chance'.
References on the New South Wales Casino Control Authority website show that Star City has received approval for the rollout of a new game, Three-Card Baccarat, and a even money variation of the same game.
[edit] Electronic Gaming
Star City provides a selection of electronic gaming machines, including slot machines bingo, and video poker. Rapid Big Wheel was introduced in early 2006 to replace the often slow paced table game version
[edit] Rules and Etiquette
- Cameras and mobile phones are not allowed at the gaming tables.
- In Blackjack and Pontoon, players are required to show a clear hand signal to indicate hit and stand. Hit is motioned as a tap on the table, while stand is indicated by waving the air in a "go away" motion.
- In games where playing cards are used, the player is not allowed to touch the cards once the hand has commenced (except for Caribbean Stud, Poker, and Three-Card Poker)
- In Pai Gow and Caribbean Stud, speaking in languages other than English is prohibited. Specifically, any discussion at all is not allowed, though rarely enforced unless the discussion directly related to the hand.
- Tipping gaming workers or other staff is not permitted. It is acceptable, however to tip waiters or bar staff.
[edit] Restaurants
Star City has a large variety of restaurants ranging from modern Australian cuisine to Italian.
- Astral
- Pyrmonts
- Al Porto
- Lotus Pond
- Fortunes
- Chao Pria City
- Garden Buffet
Star City's Garden Buffet is famous because of the all you can eat prawn buffet.
[edit] Trivia
The first 12 episodes of Australian TV Series Joker Poker was filmed in a private gaming room at the casino. The game was dealt by experienced Star City croupiers.
[edit] History
August 2006 - Baccarat Perfect Pairs replaced by Dragon Bonus
January 2006 - Table Game Four-Card Poker introduced
January 2006 - Table Game Big Wheel replaced by Rapid Big Wheel
December 2005 - Table Game Double-Chance trialed and removed later that month
October 1999 - TABCORP acquires Star City
November 1997 - Permanent Star City Casino Established
September 1995 - Temporary Casino Opened
1994 - Casino licence granted to Sydney Harbour Casino Pty Ltd
