Australian federal government poker committee submits recommendations

October 19, 2017

Exemption of online poker from the provisions of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Act put on hold pending the implementation of the National Consumer Protection Framework. The Australian federal Senate committee appointed to examine the possibility of exempting online poker from the prohibitions of the recently passed Interactive Gambling Amendment Act (see previous InfoPowa reports) has […]

Could online poker be back on the cards in Australia?

September 14, 2017

Sen. David Leyonhjelm, one of the few Australian politicians to have consistently defended online gambling in general and online poker in particular, announced a new development in the federal government’s approach Wednesday, claiming that Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is considering making it possible to licence online poker operators, thus exempting them from the current bans […]

Pokerstars gives firm date on Australian exit

August 23, 2017

Online poker operator Pokerstars, which has for weeks warned that changes to Australian law will compel it to withdraw from real-money operations, has set a firm date of September 11 2017 for its exit. In a communication to players, the company advised: “The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill (2016), which was passed earlier this month and […]

Australia exodus continues

August 22, 2017

PartyPoker is the latest online operator to announce its withdrawal from Australia following those of 888 Holdings, PokerStars and 32Red. Tom Waters, managing director of PartyPoker in a press statement said the company will stop operating on August 31, marking the occasion as a regretful decision given Australia’s “strong poker market”. “We will continue to […]

Pokerstars confirms imminent departure from aussie market (update)

August 14, 2017

Online poker operator PokerStars warned earlier this year that political moves in Australia to ban online poker and casino gambling could compel the company to leave the local market (see previous InfoPowa reports), and it appears that the day has come. In emails to players last week the market leader confirmed that following the 9th […]

Australian Senate inquiry on online poker continues

August 6, 2017

The Australian Senate inquiry into online poker, and whether it should be included in the bans on internet casino style games proposed by the upcoming Interactive Gaming Amendment Act, heard from interested parties last week, not all of them as supportive of excluding online poker as the Australian Online Poker Association (see previous report). The […]

Aussie players fight to keep online poker

August 4, 2017

The Participation of Australians in Online Poker parliamentary inquiry this week saw a delegation representing the Australian Online Poker Alliance give evidence before the Senate panel tasked with the investigation. Led by AOPA founder and leader Joseph Del Duca, the delegation appealed to the members of the inquiry not to ban online poker along with […]

Pokerstars biding its time in Australia

April 6, 2017

With online gambling firms like 888 and 32Red already on the way to the exit in Australia following the federal government’s decision to implement the Interactive Gaming Amendment Act 2017 (see previous InfoPowa reports), Pokerstars has advised its players that if the Act is passed when the federal legislature returns from recess next month, it […]

“We fight on,” says Aussie poker action group

March 25, 2017

The Australian Senate’s rejection this week of Sen. David Leyonhjelm’s bill seeking to exempt online poker from the more restrictive Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 (see previous reports) has not dimmed the determination of the Australian Online Poker Alliance to carry on fighting for online poker Downunder. The Alliance says it managed to motivate hundreds […]

Aussie poker players making progress in fight against poker ban

March 4, 2017

The newly formed Australian Online Poker Alliance (AOPA) reported back this week on the remarkable progress it has made in the short time since its formation to fight federal government changes to the Interactive Gambling Act that could see online poker banned in the country. Founder and energetic driver Joseph Del Duca has initiated a […]