Taking a cue from Vera & John, an online casino operator who exited Australia just a few weeks ago, 888poker has now announced they will no longer be offering services in the country. Players located in Australia were alerted of the change via email by 888 and will no longer be able to access gaming options beginning on the 16th of this month.
The online poker brand recommends that customers based in Australia unregister from tournaments they may be set to participate in that are scheduled on January 16th and beyond. Players will be able to withdraw funds from their account via the online cashier.
The announcement by 888poker comes just a short time after online casino operator Vera & John announced they would no longer be offering their services in Australia. In the country, new gambling regulations are being considered and it is believed that regulations will be put in place that will make it quite difficult for offshore gambling operators to provide services in the country. While Vera & John and 888poker have yet to announce why they have decided to not operate in Australia, one can imagine they are getting out while they can.
Currently, laws of Australia state that sports betting is the only activity in the iGaming category that is explicitly legal. Online casino and poker games are not strictly prohibited, but not exactly legal. With new legislation, new definitions will be made on what is legal as well as how online gaming operations should be regulated. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 will change the way Australia handles international operators and was introduced by Alan Tudge, the Human Services Minister last year.
It is believed that PokerStars will be the next operator to leave the market though they have yet to make any move. PokerStars has been through the ringer before, operating in the United States after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was implemented so they will surely want to miss out on any legal ramifications for operating in Australia in a gray area or once it is more defined.
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.