Australia bans online poker and live sports betting

[TheGooner]

Appreciate the considered discussion / viewpoints guys.
That's what makes the GPWA such a useful resource.

[Muppet]

The Muppet is correct that there is little palate for this in the general community. Most simply don't care, and much like they people that voted on this in the Senate - they just don't understand. The only reason online poker is being reported as banned is that it is a better headline likely to reach more people than "online casinos banned".

But to suggest this is more of the same and will have no effect is disastrously bad advice.

Specifically all regulated sports, racing casino and poker operators in the major jurisdictions will be pressured to leave to maintain their existing licenses in those jurisdictions. That's a given.

Additionally, the old IGA was targeted more at operators. The new reforms specifically contain provisions for affiliates, support centres, agents, associates and employees. On ascent of this bill it will be illegal for anyone to make or receive any commission or inducement to help facilitate or promote or advertise gambling operators that do not hold an Australian license. Of course it is impossible to obtain an Australian licence for anything other than sport, racing or lotto betting. And even Lottoland's licence looks set to be reviewed if not revoked.

Affiliates are most definitely in the target sights. They will make an example of someone as the debate specifically raised the fact that no prosecutions have ever been laid in the IGA's 16 year existence. They will line someone up as proof they have the balls to follow through on the new laws.

https://bettingsite.com.au/online-po...o-pass-senate/

It is "more of the same" only it is now being enforced. It absolutely will and is having an effect, no-one is saying otherwise.

Affiliates that have been targeting Australians with online poker or casino sites have been breaking the law since 2001. This is common knowledge, yet there are many Australian affiliates that do it anyway. They are fools and have only themselves to blame if they have to pack it in. Any affiliate running a site that does not predominantly target Australians has nothing to worry about. Again that hasn't changed.

[Ozpoker]

There was some widespread support among the cross benches in the Senate to look in to a future review to advance a low limit regulated online poker market. But I suspect it will be years before they touch this again. If they did allow it, it would be in keeping with recommendations from the 2010 Productivity Commission report which suggest allowing small limit online tournament poker only.

https://casinosites.com.au/iga-amend...e-poker-10430/

[Ozpoker]

@Muppet

Oh okay - then yes. If you're not providing or promoting online casinos to Australians, then no you should be fine.

I guess it all depends how far they take it. Any affiliate whether Australian based or not who promotes casinos to Australian is committing the same offence, just less likely to be pursued.

The wording is :
"Enforcement action would be able to be taken against agents, affiliates, associates and employees who receive a direct payment, salary or commission for promoting, recruiting or supporting customers to bet with these illegal offshore gambling sites."

[Miles_Videoslots]

Thanks Gooner ..That s what i was going to say i had heard that their are Pokie Machines in very corner and that was accepted can all of these be monitored and watched over are all of them legal in such a huge nation ? ..If Sports betting is acceptable and betting on Horses etc Ok then why should Online Gambling be such an Issue ? Do you not think the Government at some point will realise that there is Revenue to be made if they Add this area to there Taxation Polices and they will wise up not now maybe but done the road?

The Australian public will not fight "tooth and nail" - online casino and poker is not established as part of the psyche compared to sports and horse betting. Australian's (and New Zealanders) have been subjected to a barrage of reports about online scams, online ripoffs, and people losing money .. they really is not much goodwill towards online casino evident.

Australian legislators believe (rightly or wrongly) that they are already earning significant taxes through physical casinos and pokies ... and that the physical premises do a better job of preventing problem gambling than overseas companies.

This is NOT a battle about gambling - that's an Aussie tradition - it's about what they call "short term" gambling that is deemed addictive and damaging without real world supervision.

You might think that pokie machines in pubs and clubs are damaging too (I think you'd be right), but they have an established presence and have organised in a powerful and vocal lobby group to protect their existing patch ... while online groups just melted away.

I don't see any sign of outrage on the streets of Sydney, Melbourne or Perth with this bill

[Muppet]

The vested interests that own the poker machines (conglomerates that also own Australia's 2 largest supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths) and sports betting operators etc don't want the competition. Team them up with the anti-gambling campaigners and you have a well connected group with deep pockets and wide reach that get what they want.

There is also a large and vocal section of the community that despises the poker machines in pubs. Aside from seeing them as a mug's game (and to be fair they are because the payout rates are abysmal), the live music scene has died in many places due to pubs squeezing in as many as they can instead of less profitable uses of floor space. There is now the odd pub here and there that will promote themselves as a pokie free venue in order to attract customers, and there are regular newspaper stories with an anti poker machine slant. So they are pretty much on the nose both politically and publicly. It would take a very brave government to go against public opinion and vested interests on this so I doubt that this will change for a very long time if ever, though online poker has a better shot if it can convince people that it is in fact a game of skill.

[Parth84]

Now most of the operators will have to leave the market. This is sad....

[Miles_Videoslots]

@Gooner/Muppet I love it when you slap me correct lol your opinions as usual are always appreciated especially the ones where i get a swift kick up the backside and told off lol keep up the good work ..just my opinions is all

[Ozpoker]

Make no mistake this was all about Tabcorp pulling the strings in the background ....

Desperately trying to protect market share for their declining tote product and hoping beyond reason that banning online poker & casinos would bring that money back to them. Not gunna happen ....

[Ozpoker]

It has gone under the radar but the Australian Govt. jammed through the IGA this morning.

There was expected to be wait while the online poker inquiry report is not due until late September.

But before the inquiry reports back they have passed the bill.

Online poker, online casinos, offshore sportsbooks - all banned within 30 days

Only place that has reported it so far: https://bettingsite.com.au/senate-pa...poker-inquiry/

[bet-bg.com]

Guys,

Is it going to affect bet365 poker as well ?

Regards,
Ivan