THE NAKED CITY: WHY THE CIRCUS NEEDS TO COME TO TOWN

Australians love to gamble. We’ll bet on just about anything from racehorses, sporting events, lotteries, pokies and even the results of a federal election – just a few of the ways we choose to blow our hard-earned. Somewhat strangely, when it comes to casinos — the Taj Mahals of the gambling dollar — we seem to be less enthusiastic. Our history of these gaudy places of disappointment is very much a chequered one.

From the 1960s through to the late 1980s, Sydney was awash with illegal casinos, relatively small intimate establishments with discreet entrances and a well-screened clientele. Every taxi driver knew where they were as did most of the NSW Police Force, but rampant corruption enabled them to flourish with only the occasional bust. They turned over billions annually with not one cent of that going in government taxes but a good amount in the pockets of corrupt police and a number of politicians.

Whilst many were run by hardcore gangsters, they kept a relatively low profile. The  general public regarded them as a bit of harmless clandestine fun rather than a threat to morality and the law of the land. Mum and dad punters were more interested in playing the pokies down at their local club and scoring a cheap schnitzel dinner.

The illegal dives aside, we still subscribed to the romantic vision of casinos as either the sophisticated night clubs of Monte Carlo or the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. Rather surprisingly it was Tasmania, a state then regarded as one of our least cosmopolitan, that got the jump on the rest of the country when it established our first legal casino, Wrest Point, in 1973.

It was a radical decision at the time that prompted a state referendum, preceded by a rushing of the legislation through Parliament. Remarkably, Sydney had to wait another two decades or so before we got out first casino in 1995, the Sydney Harbour Casino which soon changed to Star City Casino. Promoted more as a centre or entertainment and fine dining than a venue for suckers to lose their money, it was seen as a sign of Sydney expanding its international wings. The Chinese package gamblers flocked in.

Now known as just The Star, the casino has not been without its share of controversy in the years that have followed. In 2022 it was investigated by the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority as to whether it had been infiltrated by criminals laundering money as well as a string of other critical media reports. Whilst both The Star in Sydney and Crown in Melbourne regularly hosted big name overseas and local artists in the late ‘90s and throughout the early 2000s, they now rely largely on tribute shows, DJs and often very low-key entertainment as part of their entertainment package.

Read many of the online reviews and it seems the Sydney public are no longer captivated by the pizazz once associated with The Star. In fairness, they are not without their share of compliments, but reviews also attract barbs such as:

“Was once an institution and absolute destination in Sydney but has now become a shell of its former self and just wants to admit shady businessmen with money to launder. No surprise they are being investigated by the financial watchdog. Avoid at all costs.”

Let’s forget about The Star, which is more suburban shopping mall than casino, and its recent high end neighbour, Crown at Barangaroo. Sydneysiders still long for a Vegas style environment, as witnessed when the Rugby League kicked off its 2024 season there to much hoorah. What we need is our own version of the Las Vegas institution Circus Circus, where the actual casino plays second fiddle to the largest permanent circus in the world, an old school carnival midway, and the indoor amusement park known as The Adventure Dome. Think of Luna Park with pokies and roulette wheels and you’ll get some idea of its mighty grandeur.

Sure, it’s much maligned by YouTube vloggers, the rooms are rundown and in need of a makeover and most of the food is lousy, but overall it’s fun – it has a buzz about it that has made it a favourite of working and middle class Americans since 1968. Walk into the gaming rooms of Star and Crown and it’s all very serious and soulless. Walk into the overwhelming tackiness of Circus Circus and you can’t help smiling, even though you are about to destroy your entire holiday pay.

Naturally our own version of Circus Circus would have a distinct Australiana theme with massive oversized animatronic fauna, gaming attendants dressed appropriately as Ned Kelly, and roving musicians playing wobble boards and gum leafs. It would be a genuine family affair but rather than encouraging children to gamble there would be a junior casino where the under eighteens could experience the trauma of losing all of their complimentary play money, putting them off gambling for life.

Unfortunately the name Circus Oz is already taken, but might I suggest a very Australian sounding name for Sydney’s newest touring attraction: ‘THE GOLDEN GALAH’. You’re probably going to lose a motza and feel like a total drongo afterwards, so why not do it with a smile!