32Red is withdrawing from the Australian market. The company has opted to cease operations there due to the nation’s updated gaming regulations and will no longer be onboarding new players from Australia.
This move positions them as the most recent in a series of prominent departures, mirroring the actions of William Hill, Vera&John, and 888 Holdings. PokerStars could be the next to follow suit. They have already issued a cautionary notice to their Australian users regarding potential account suspensions and have halted new registrations from the country.
These shifts are a direct result of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016, which aims to curb online gambling activities. The objective is to ensure that any entity providing online gambling services within Australia holds the appropriate licensing and adheres to the country’s established benchmarks. The legislation will primarily affect online poker, while sports wagering will remain permissible.
The bill has successfully passed three readings and is slated for a final vote in the House of Representatives. Should it pass, it will be enacted within the coming months. The revised regulations encompass stringent penalties for companies found in violation, including financial sanctions, website access restrictions, and blacklisting.
In the case of 32Red, the Gibraltar-based enterprise manages a portfolio of online gambling websites, encompassing poker platforms, virtual casinos, and sports betting portals. They have assured their affiliates that they will continue to receive compensation for any existing Australian players they have referred, at least temporarily.
Affiliates of 32Red in Australia have been instructed to cease all promotional activities, encompassing banners and hyperlinks. Furthermore, they have been directed to immediately halt the marketing of 32Red’s offerings.
Nevertheless, it is improbable that this regulatory action will be formally enacted into law prior to the subsequent gathering of the Australian government scheduled for May 2017. Consequently, poker enthusiasts in Australia can continue to participate in PokerStars’ Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). Projections indicate that this year’s SCOOP is poised to be the largest iteration to date, boasting an impressive guaranteed prize pool of $55 million.