32Red is the most recent internet gaming platform to withdraw from the Australian market. As of today, new player accounts from Australians are no longer permitted.
This action comes after recent Australian legal shifts that are increasing the difficulty for international providers to offer their services. Similar departures have already been made by other prominent companies such as William Hill, Vera&John, and 888 Holdings.
If enacted, the updated regulations will effectively prohibit all internet gambling unless explicitly authorized by the government. Sports wagering will remain permissible under the revised statutes. This has prompted PokerStars, a leading online poker platform, to inform its Australian users of impending account suspensions and a halt on new registrations.
The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016, the legislation in question, seeks to establish a nationwide structure for overseeing internet gambling. It proposes substantial penalties for offenders, IP address blocking, and the creation of a prohibited operators list. Having already cleared the Senate, the bill is anticipated to become law shortly.
Based in Gibraltar, 32Red is recognized for its varied online gaming offerings, encompassing poker, casino games, and sports betting. The company has indicated that its partners will continue to receive a portion of revenue from existing Australian players referred through them until further communication.
Partners received guidance to take down promotional elements like ads, clickable links, and other marketing content from their web pages. Furthermore, they were instructed to halt all promotional activities for 32Red offerings effective immediately.
Despite this, it’s improbable that the legislation will face a vote before the Australian government’s next session in May 2017. This implies that Australian poker players can still join the forthcoming PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), which appears poised to be the largest iteration yet, boasting an assured prize pool of $55 million.