The former chief executive of Blackstone’s Crown Resorts asked the NSW government for permission to acquire poker machines for its Sydney casino to offset the loss of international high-rollers with a new source of gambling revenue.

Crown, once majority-owned by billionaire James Packer and bought by the private equity giant for $8.9 billion in 2022, is struggling to attract big-spending customers to its gaming floor at Barangaroo as stricter regulations deter big spenders from gambling in Australia. Crown Sydney has never offered poker machines.