Australia’s Online Poker Crackdown: Excessive Regulation or Necessary Protection?

The government of Australia is taking a hard line on internet poker and live sports wagering. Their stance is that it’s a matter of addressing gaps in legislation, but many are labeling it a misguided and superfluous action.

You see, back in 2015, a major assessment of unlawful overseas gaming took place. It proposed strengthening online gambling regulations, culminating in the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill of 2016. The catch is, numerous individuals, including Senator David Leyonhjelm, contend that this amendment is excessive. They emphasize the existing abundance of avenues for playing poker in Australia, both at casinos and in tournaments. Their argument is that this amendment isn’t truly about safeguarding individuals, but rather about curtailing a widely enjoyed online pastime.

This entire situation has been quite polarizing, with generally conservative legislators backing the crackdown while others deem it needless. It underscores the ongoing discussion surrounding the regulation of online gambling in a manner that finds equilibrium between liberty and protection.

This is completely absurd! You could still face consequences, even with a virtual private network or an overseas account.” Leon Yellam continued his censure of the suggested prohibition on in-play sports wagering. He contended that the modifications, while designed to limit game manipulation, could actually have the reverse outcome. He cited the UK’s structure as a successful paradigm. “The UK administration oversees and levies licensed real-time betting companies, producing hundreds of millions of pounds in income last year alone. These companies are also able to track wagering behavior, identify questionable occurrences, and aid in inquiries by following the movement of money.”

Numerous providers, including 888poker and Vera&John, have already halted services in Australia. Pokerstars is anticipated to do the same soon. These providers have expressed their reluctance to function in regions lacking strong regulatory systems. Many sector experts forecast that other significant participants will soon emulate their actions.

Daniel Sebag, Chief Financial Officer of Amaya, notified investors during their third-quarter earnings conference that the firm is also pondering a departure from the Australian market. “We are presently evaluating the relevance of the proposed law to our player-versus-player skill-based games. As it currently stands, if the legislation is enacted in its present state, we might be compelled to block Australian players from taking part.”