Although the authority for doing this comes from the old 1997 Telecommunications Act, this is actually one of the newest arrows in the ACMA’s quiver, having only been employed since November 2019. Online casinos too were effectively banned by the IGAB, and they began to pull out of the country in droves. Yes, Australian citizens are flooded with poker tournament options, as the best sites offer daily, weekly and monthly event organizations. Moreover, for anyone willing to go through the trouble, there are special options which allow players to set up their own poker www.qld.gov.au tournaments.

As the IGA prohibits Australian companies from offering online poker services to Australian residents, many reputable offshore operators have stepped in to cater to the demand. As a result, Australian players have had to explore alternative options, such as offshore poker operators, to continue playing online poker. However, these come with their own set of concerns and considerations, which will be discussed in the following sections. The closure of major poker sites in Australia has significantly impacted players in the country. Up until 2017, renowned online poker operators like PokerStars, 888poker, and PartyPoker were serving the Australian market.

The sites that we research and review come with some of the best rewards, including VIP programs for you to climb the ladders of. Without such perks, online poker rooms aren’t really making themselves competitive and you don’t get anything out of signing up at such. That’s why you’ll find that the best sites come with the best rewards alongside. To add to that, online gamers are notorious for their desire to receive something for nothing. Poker players are no different, and this is where the bonuses and ongoing promotions come into play.

These sites often operate without the necessary licenses and safeguards, putting players at risk of fraud, identity theft, and unfair gaming practices. Let us know your thoughts about the new changes on poker players and online poker providers by tagging us at #lawpath or @lawpath. Online poker was made illegal in Australia in 2001, though many players still played on offshore sites and not much was done to crack down on this illegal activity.

Current Gambling Laws in Australia

• Some players like to see massive bonuses, while others prefer a versatile gaming portfolio.
• So take a look at our list of recommended Australia-friendly sites, make your first deposit and get ready to take your bankroll to new heights in the land of Down Under.
• 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.
• It is often perceived that because there is no live person dealing with the cards, the poker games cannot be fair or rigged.

There are many options for Aussie players and a massive amount of sites that you can play on. These are some of the best sites available to play online so check it out to get started. While it’s important to know what you’re looking for when choosing an online poker room to join, we want to make the process as easy for you as possible. For this reason we’ve reviewed all the best Australian poker sites and given them a rating.

Public health campaigns and social awareness would need to accompany any decision to legalize online poker to mitigate these risks. Furthermore, establishing fair taxation policies that strike a balance between generating revenue and not stifling the industry could be a complex task. If taxes are too high, operators may be discouraged from entering the market, or they may pass on the costs to consumers, making online poker less attractive. At the time of writing, casino licensees in NSW and Qld have been deemed unsuitable to hold the licences issued in those jurisdictions. The Star’s Sydney, NSW casino licence has been suspended and a manager has been appointed to oversee operations while the suspension is in force and reforms to achieve suitability can be assessed.

However, following the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill in 2017, these prominent operators decided to exit the Australian market. As of 2021, the legal landscape of online poker in Australia is complex and undergoing significant changes. The Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) of 2001 is the primary legislation that governs online gambling in the country. Under this act, it is illegal for any company to offer real-money online poker services to Australian residents. From play money hopefuls and small stakes grinders to seasoned pros, the online poker industry is now a diverse and thriving community. With such diversity comes volume and in 2025 online poker is growing faster than ever.

Although the Australian Senate’s Environment and Communications References Committee gave pro-poker advocates a chance, the new bill did not provide provisions for online poker. It made it no longer legal for Australian punters to play poker online at internationally licensed poker sites. Still, Drop The Boss these laws are directed at the online poker rooms and not the players, so a large number of locals partake in real-money hands over the web using offshore gambling sites. Our online AU poker site reviews detail each site’s gameplay options, betting limits, and offers more information on the site’s legality. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 has had a significant impact on the online poker industry in Australia, as it has forced many operators to re-evaluate their business models and consider alternative markets.

Cashgames: Real money poker games in Australia

Having said everything we’ve said, you’d be forgiven in thinking that you cannot play legal online poker in Australia. But while it might be illegal to play online for real money, you can play online poker legally if it is not for real money. Ironically, while the popularity of various forms of legal gaming grew, so did lawmakers hesitations about the practices. The pendulum of legislation typically started with some limitation or prohibition, but moved toward a lenient stance allowing most forms of betting.

Australian poker players are advised to explore alternative options, such as playing in land-based casinos or participating in live poker tournaments. 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.

The duration of major operator licences depends upon the legislative framework in the relevant state or territory and is subject to possible change upon a licence renewal or new licence being issued. On-course Bookmakers holding an On-course Bookmaker Licence offer fixed-odds betting at racecourses and, where appropriately licensed, over the telephone and via the internet. The Australian Constitution provides the federal government with powers to regulate and govern, among other things, telecommunications, money and trade amongst the states and territories. There is no single overarching statute regulating gambling activities in Australia, nor is there a single overarching gambling authority. Instead, gambling in Australia is regulated at both the state/territory and federal level. There has historically been lobbying seeking its approval, on the basis that it is a game of skill.

PokerStars, however, has historically maintained a significant user base due to its established reputation and ongoing engagement with players. Luckily, cases of fraud are extremely rare and 2025 is a much safer place for online poker players than 10 or 15 years ago. Australia poker sites players can gamble with opponents across the world without fear of losing cash. PokerNews is a free to access, online resource that offers fresh daily content, world leading live reporting and poker strategy content and provides comparison features of various online poker sites to its visitors. Australian online gambling laws and policy have traditionally been the responsibility of the states, rather than the Commonwealth.

In 2017, the entire situation shifted when the amendments of the Interactive Gaming Act 2001 from September 2017 were introduced, making all poker platforms illegal. Foreign operators left the Australian market, and local operators had to shut down their services. At the same time, government authorities such as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have taken several smaller unlicensed online gambling operators to federal court. However, they are known to be real-money poker alternatives for players in Australia. UPoker’s software has been compared to PokerStars Home Games, while Juicy Stakes Poker offers a range of games similar to the selection at Ignition Poker.