Because of the shifting legal environment in Australia, 32Red has opted to withdraw from the market. Australian players will no longer have the ability to create new accounts. This mirrors similar departures by other major players in the internet gaming industry, such as William Hill, Vera&John, and 888 Holdings.
PokerStars, too, may be headed for a similar fate. They’ve already cautioned their Australian users that accounts might be frozen, and they are not welcoming new registrations. The possible new legislation is really putting pressure on companies like these.
It all comes down to the 2016 Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill. Should it become law, it will essentially outlaw all online gambling (with the exception of sports wagering, which appears to have been spared) unless you possess a specific license from Australia. We’re talking about significant consequences as well – monetary penalties, preventing Australian players from site access, and even the creation of a blacklist. The entire situation is making many operators uneasy, particularly those who may have been operating in a somewhat undefined zone previously.
At present, 32Red states their affiliates will continue to receive payment for any existing Australian players they brought in. However, the duration of this arrangement remains unclear. The outlook for online gambling in Australia is quite unpredictable at this time.
Affiliates are being requested to remove banners, URLs, and other promotions from their sites. They’ve also been instructed to cease advertising 32Red offerings immediately.
This development precedes proposed legislation that would more rigorously oversee internet gambling, but the legislation itself likely won’t face a vote until May 2017. This means Australian poker enthusiasts can still participate in PokerStars’ Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), which boasts a colossal \$55 million guaranteed prize pool!