A 58-year-old New Zealand man, Eru Andrew Stevens, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for robbing Auckland's SkyCity Casino in September 2023.

During the incident, Stevens approached the cashier cage and presented a note claiming he had a gun, demanding money. Casino staff complied and handed over approximately NZ$50,000 (US$29,430) while secretly alerting security.

Police quickly apprehended Stevens, who has a documented history of schizophrenia, within hours of the robbery. Initially deemed mentally unfit to enter a plea, he received treatment at the Mason Clinic psychiatric facility. After his condition improved, Stevens pleaded guilty to non-aggravated robbery in November 2024.

Manukau District Court Judge Clare Bennett acknowledged Stevens' long-term mental health struggles during sentencing, reducing his penalty from the maximum 10-year sentence. The final sentence includes credit for time served in psychiatric care.

The incident occurred amid broader challenges for SkyCity Casino, which faced a five-day closure in September due to regulatory violations related to inadequate problem gambling monitoring. The casino operator was found to have failed to properly oversee a patron's continuous gambling over 23 incidents between 2017 and 2021.

SkyCity Auckland continues to operate as New Zealand's largest casino, featuring over 2,100 slot machines, 100+ table games, and three hotels with more than 900 rooms. The company also manages properties in Queenstown, Hamilton, and Adelaide, Australia.

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