The Balgowlah Bowling Club, affectionately known as “The Bally” by its local community on Sydney’s northern beaches, has successfully blocked US casino giant Bally’s from trademarking its name in association with the potential acquisition of Star Entertainment Group.
Balgowlah Bowling Club, located on Sydney’s north shore and affectionately called The Bally by the locals, secured the trademark after Secretary Manager Tony Wagener applied for it last September. According to what he told The Sydney Morning Herald, this was a coincidental move, despite Bally’s Corp’s subsequent involvement in the Star Entertainment Group rescue deal. He also mentioned that he doesn’t see any business as bigger or more important, stating that they simply liked the name and had been trading under it, so he thought it was prudent to trademark it. Wagener further noted that everyone calls the club The Bally.
Wagener told the newspaper that he would be open to discussions with the US casino giant. If such a situation arose, he said, they would explain that they also use the name, are an Australian company, and have been operating under it for quite some time. He emphasized that the club has no slot machines or permanent gaming facilities, describing their model as more traditional, focusing on food and beverages, live music, lawn bowls, and events.
For those unfamiliar, lawn bowls is a sport where players roll slightly asymmetrical balls, known as bowls, across a flat, rectangular green toward a smaller white ball called the jack. The aim is to get your bowls as close as possible to the jack. The sport enjoys widespread popularity, especially among senior citizens across Australia and the UK.
Bally’s Corp is leading the rescue deal for Star Entertainment Group, which has faced some financial difficulties in the past. The package combines debt and investment to give the US company a controlling interest in Australia’s second-largest casino operator. The proposal received the nod from Star shareholders in late June 2025. However, just a few weeks later, the first issues in the plan emerged as Bally’s raised concerns about Star Entertainment Group’s rescue, citing various regulatory risks.
Despite this, the deal is still under discussion. As a part of the takeover and a potential rebranding of Star’s casinos in New South Wales and Queensland, Bally’s had intended to introduce its own brand in Australia. However, a local venue already possesses the rights to the “Bally” name, which may force the US company to rethink its branding strategy.
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- Source: SCCGManagement.com