This page of our guide is designed to provide helpful information to assist poker players such as yourself in determining what Australian online gambling options are legally available to you. In 2025, Australian poker players can enjoy legal poker sites every day of the week. Legit poker rooms offer trustworthy software, safe banking, and bonuses that really deliver. And when it comes to fast, reliable cash-outs, Aussies can enjoy quick withdrawals in AUD. However, laws clearly forbid players playing online poker for real money in the region.
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By legalizing online poker, Australia would provide these players with an accessible, regulated environment to hone their skills, practice, and qualify for international events without having to rely on overseas platforms. Only local operators holding relevant licences may offer gambling products to Australian residents. The Interactive Gambling Act provides that it is unlawful for overseas-based operators not holding a relevant state or territory licence to advertise or provide online gambling services to Australian residents. However, if you are playing at a licensed poker site that is legitimately regulated, such as those found on this page, then they are monitored for specific standards of fair gaming.
Operators outside Australia, as well as players within Australia, continue to offend the IGA statutes. The Australian government is perceived as generally more lenient than the United States government who passed the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which caused numerous sites to instantly bar all U.S. players. Some UK based sites as well as several other jurisdictions offering legal online poker rooms still allow Australian player access, though not all do now.
Why can’t I play online poker in Australia?
Despite these efforts, it is understood that Australians continue to transact in high volumes with offshore licensed and unlicensed gambling operators using virtual private networks and similar technologies. The ACMA has a range of enforcement tools available to it which include directing internet service providers to block sites which are deemed to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act. The ACMA can also, among other things, impose fines and refer matters to the Australian Federal Police for investigation. State and territory laws often also contain a range of offences in relation to unlawful gambling, which can include organising the unlawful event, as well as participating in it. The Interactive Gambling Act contains restrictions that apply to Retail Wagering Licensees, Corporate Bookmakers and On-course Bookmakers in relation to live (or ‘in the run’) betting on sport.
- In summary the Act makes it illegal for domestic and foreign companies without an Australian licence from marketing or providing online poker to Australians.
- Both offer a wide community, strong software and a range of poker games to play.
- While playing on offshore poker platforms is popular among Australian players, it is essential for players to understand and comply with their local gambling laws to ensure a safe and legal online poker experience.
- However, following the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill in 2017, these prominent operators decided to exit the Australian market.
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Juicy Stakes Casino has been around since 2013 and is currently one of the major online gambling platforms. This operator aims to provide a memorable gaming experience by featuring a myriad of casino and poker titles, lucrative bonuses, and a mobile-optimized platform. New players can enjoy a lucrative welcome Pokies&Poker promo of up to $3,000. This is a deposit match deal of 300% up to $3,000 for those who decide to top their accounts with bitcoins. However, if you fund it with a credit card, you’ll be eligible for the 200% up to $2,000 deal. In both cases, half of the bonus goes toward pokies, while the other half applies to poker tables and tournaments.
Even if you manage to access the site using a VPN, you’ll encounter all sorts of problems when attempting to make a deposit or withdrawal because your address and phone number will need to be verified. Many of the biggest operators in the Australia market decided in 2017 and 2018 that they should leave the local market and wait until lawmakers change their tune regarding online poker legislation. Once the potential consequences of the IGAB became clear, a significant lobbying effort began to try to block its passage.
Thus, many Australians still find online poker rooms that accept Australian players and allow them to access real money online poker games. It is also worth noting that many online poker operators have implemented measures to www.qld.gov.au detect and prevent the use of VPNs and other workarounds. These measures may include IP blocking, geolocation checks, and other technologies designed to identify and prevent suspicious activity. As a result, attempting to access online poker sites using VPNs or other workarounds may not be effective and could potentially lead to account closure or other consequences. Australian poker players are advised to explore alternative options, such as playing in land-based casinos or participating in live poker tournaments.
This article aims to guide poker enthusiasts looking to navigate the vibrant poker scene in Australia. "As a USA player, I think Bovada is the best option. There are always a lot of games going on and the Bitcoin payouts get to me within an hour. No complaints. Many online poker brands are working with grassroots organizations like the Australian Online Poker Alliance (AOPA) to lobby for online poker regulation, and several MPs have backed them up. This is when we started to see a mass exodus of the best Aussie poker sites. One of the laws that delegates responsibility for this task to the ACMA is the Communications Legislation Amendment (Online Content Services and Other Measures) Bill of 2017. Among the advertising restrictions policed by the ACMA are rules prohibiting gambling ads between certain hours of the day with fines of up to $300,000 for violations.
The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 was a complete piece of legislation that effectively banned all online poker and online casinos throughout Australia. Whereas numerous Australians were using Internationally based sites, the law specifically bans sites located outside the country from allowing players to login from within Australia. One Australian casino was operating a site, Lasseters Online, so they currently remain the exclusive Australian-based online casino and one legal place Australian online poker players find games in the country. This legislation has forbidden online gambling operators to promote and offer gambling services to Australian residents. However, it wasn’t long before offshore operators like 888Poker and PokerStars found loopholes in this obscure law, which allowed them to offer real money poker games to Aussies throughout the period.
The Australian Capital Territory government has, since January 1st, 2019 implemented a point of consumption tax of 15% for all online gambling services. This will see operators being responsible to pay the P.O.C tax on all net betting revenue, regardless of their locations, where it be within Australia or offshore. In addition to the Capital Territory, others states such as Queensland intends to implement an 8% point of consumption tax in hopes of generating an additional two million in annual revenue. While traffic and games are unrelated, in many cases, it is directly related as the more traffic, the higher the demand or a broader range of poker styles.
The ACMA used its new powers to convince the companies that remained to discontinue their services in Australia. The tactics it employs include the use of cease-and-desist letters, threats of legal action, and partnering with other gambling regulators around the world to try to put pressure on these operators. With the first internet gaming services having only popped up in the late ’90s, it understandably took a while for Australian law to catch up. The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 was the first serious attempt to update gambling laws to take account of this new development. Like many first attempts to accomplish something, it failed to achieve its objectives. The purpose of this article is to answer the question, "Is it Illegal to play online poker in Australia?".
Most of the major offshore online poker sites left the Australian market following those amendments in 2017. Early 2000s – Poker BoomEarly StoneVegas Casino in the 21st century, online poker was very popular in Australia. However, many Aussie players were forced to use offshore sites to play for real money. Online pokie machines are legal for local players to access and have a large market in Australia. And are often the subject of fierce tender battles when new licences become available. Australians gamble more than any other nationality in the world, and a lot of this gambling takes place through pokie machines.
These changes made it illegal for all online gaming operators (whether based locally or offshore) to provide poker and casino games to Australian players. I know that many of you guys are worried about how to deposit and withdraw money from poker sites since many Australian financial institutions are forbidden to process payments to gambling sites. But I can assure you that there’s nothing to worry about since there is always a wide array of banking options on offer on every poker site that accepts Australian-based players. What’s more, you’ll be able to make deposits and withdrawals or even play poker games in AUD.
There are some exemptions and exceptions to the online poker ban in Australia, although these are limited. For example, online poker operators who are licensed by the Australian government are permitted to offer their services to Australian residents, provided they comply with the relevant regulations. However, these licenses are typically only issued to operators who offer online poker services in conjunction with land-based casinos or other licensed gaming operators. In 2016, the Australian government introduced the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill, which aimed to strengthen the country’s online gambling laws. The bill prohibited online poker sites from operating in Australia, unless they held a license issued by the Australian government.