Lock-out laws were introduced in Sydney city and Kings Cross in 2014
NSW Premier Mike Baird has come under fire for controversial restrictions
The Star casino is the only Sydney CBD venue exempt from the laws
The casino paid Baird's government $320m in taxes in 2014-15
The Star's revenue for the year was $1.54billion
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When every other pub and bar in central Sydney is forced to close its doors at 1.30am, drinkers know there is one place they can go and stay until whatever time they like.
The Star casino proudly boasts it has a bar that is open all hours, it even calls it the '24/7 Sports Bar.'
As a fresh debate rages about whether the NSW Government's liquor laws are stemming alcohol-related violence or creating an 'nanny state', the casino has stayed quietly beyond the fray.
No wonder, as the casino has managed to escape the laws that small bar owners, clubs and other businesses say has killed Sydney's nightlife - any many businesses along with it.
Critics who have slammed Premier Mike Baird for defending the lockout laws this week are also questioning why the the casino - which is a huge contributor to state revenue through gambling taxes - gets a free pass despite being a major city venue that statistics show may be the most violent in the state.
The issue has taken off this week on social media, where Mr Baird has been lampooned as 'Casino Mike'.
The premier's office referred questions from Daily Mail Australia about why the casino was exempt from the lockout laws to the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, which grants alcohol licenses. OLGR did not answer the question directly, saying only that the casino was outside the designated liquor lockout zone.
The government introduced the tough laws in February 2014 after a public outcry about a spate of brutal alcohol-related violence late at night in the city, including the tragic death of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly.
Mr Kelly was punched without warning as he walked with his girlfriend in Kings Cross, fell unconscious to the ground and suffered irreparable brain damage when his head hit the pavement. His family made the agonising decision to switch off his life support.
The new laws created a zone covering the Sydney central business district, Kings Cross, the clubbing precinct on Oxford Street and other parts of the inner city - and slapped them with rules including requiring them to lock their doors to new patrons a 1.30am, serve last drinks at 3am and stop takeaway sales after 10pm.
The zone does not include Pyrmont, the suburb where The Star is located that is close enough to central Sydney to give high-rollers in waterfront rooms a spectacular view of the city skyline.
Since the lockout laws were introduced, numerous small bars and clubs in the city have closed and critics blame the new rules for reducing business and pushing customers to other areas of the city.
In the same period, The Star has recorded large profit increases.
The Star paid the NSW Government more than $320million in tax in the year from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, according to its financial statements.That was an increase of $70million on the year before, when it paid $250million in taxes.
The Star's pre-tax revenues for 2014-15 were $1.541billion.
The Star told Daily Mail Australia in a statement the rise in was 'attributable to increases in gaming revenue and international VIP businesses that followed our $870million refurbishment in 2013, as well as new restaurant offerings and the Star Event Centre opening attracting corporate and entertainment audiences.'
Mr Baird claimed this week alcohol-related assaults in the central business disctrict had dropped by 42.2 per cent since the laws were introduced, and by more than 60 per cent in Kings Cross. The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSR) said the Kings Cross figure was more like 45 per cent.
A BOCSR review of the first six months of the lockout laws found that while assaults at other venues was falling, there was an average of 6.3 assaults per month at the Star - or an average of 75 assaults per year, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
The review said there was 'some evidence that assaults increased in and around The Star casino' but described them as 'not statistically significant and the reduction in assault elsewhere was much larger than the increase around The Star casino.'
In addition to the lockout laws, The Star is also exempt from state laws targetting violent licensed venues, including the so-called 'Three Strikes' rules that can strip premises of their liquor license if repeated breaches occur. The Star was fined or censured 12 times in 2013-14 for license breaches, the Herald reported.
Mr Baird was ridiculed online this week as 'Casino Mike' as the debate on the lockout laws became more heated.
Dozens of musicians including DJ Alison Wonderland, Nina Las Vegas, electronic duo Flight Facilities and American rapper Danny Brown have criticised the laws.
'How about you let the public vote on the issue instead of an out of touch group of suits? If you were elected represent a majority, perhaps you should find out if they agree with you,' wrote Flight Facilities.
'As a nightclub DJ and promoter, I can't work within the lockout zones and am continually explaining to international visitors WHY our city is no longer somewhere you would want to perform,' wrote DJ Nina Las Vegas.
Others showed their support for the cause by posting a photo with a placard reading: 'Keep Sydney Open.'
Australian singer-songwriter Tina Arena uploaded a photo of the slogan with the caption: 'Sydney deserves a safe and fulfilling late night culture. Let's Keep Sydney Open <3 #nolockout.' Mr Baird rejected claims his department deleted thousands of critical comments on his Facebook post about the state's controversial lockout laws. He told reporters on Wednesday the lockout laws would be reviewed. It was not clear if the review would include The Star's exemptions. 'What we want to do in relation to the policy is have it reviewed and I'm open to what those findings bring forward,' he said.
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