Australian Capital Territory Online Poker Information 2023
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which was previously known as the Federal Capital Territory, actually serves as the seat of the national government. It is also the smallest territory within Australia. ACT plays host to just a single city - the country’s capital of Canberra. And even though this is the case, it does not stop it from being one of the central hubs for poker gameplay. Due to its size, the state doesn’t host many land-based casinos. Still, online poker very much remains a possibility for avid players.
Top Online Poker Sites in the Australian Capital Territory
If you are based in the ACT and enjoy gaming, you may want to find out about the best online poker rooms available to you to join. We shall assist you in that process. Even though multiple online sites provide their services to players based in the ACT, not all of them can be considered safe and fair. Fortunately, through our recommendations, we can guarantee both of those things. We have searched through the various Aussies online poker platforms and found the best ones that cater to the ACT region.
With this in mind, we invite you to look through these online poker rooms with us. You will find information about how they operate, what features they provide to registered users, and more. Yet to get a complete insight into those platforms before joining them, you can read through the comprehensive reviews that we have also created. Check out the top three online poker sites for ACT residents below.
Ignition Poker
If it’s high volumes of traffic that you’re looking for in your chosen online poker room, then Ignition Poker is the way to go. It provides the United States with its largest poker network as far as traffic is concerned. Of course, Aussie players also contribute to the traffic levels, so the competition level is high when it comes to this site. Then again, with such impressive inbuilt features, this is of little surprise. An attractive welcome bonus worth up to $1,500 is on hand for you to claim as a newcomer. And the web-based poker client is functional not only on desktop computers but on mobile devices as well.
Something that many people enjoy about the Ignition Poker website is that it also operates anonymous tables. Through such, you can enjoy what it has to offer without feeling threatened by experienced sharks. Unfortunately, it does not support the AUD currency, so your funds will be converted into USD should you choose to deposit in the poker room. However, this does not take anything away from the entertaining gameplay.
Feel free to check out our detailed review of Ignition Poker to learn all about the promos and games on offer.
CoinPoker
CoinPoker is the largest crypto-centric poker room online. Numerous cash games are on offer including NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, 5 Card Omaha, and Open Face Chinese. All play is denominated in Tether (USDT), but players can choose to deposit and withdraw using a few cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
CoinPoker operates on any Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android device. Leaderboards for both cash games and sit-and-gos are also present to help pad your bankroll. You can get 30% rakeback if you hold a balance of CHP, CoinPoker's proprietary crypto coin.
For additional information about this site and its unique advantages, feel free to check out our detailed CoinPoker review.
Americas Cardroom
Top-quality software and exceptional design are two things that Americas Cardroom boasts about. While these two features are quite accurate, the poker room has so much more to take pride in. Numerous cash game formats like NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and Stud poker are available. ACR also boasts a comprehensive array of multi-table tournaments as well as SNGs, fast-fold poker, and lottery-style Jackpot Poker. Traffic levels are relatively high as well as Americas Cardroom is the flagship site on the Winning Poker Network.
There is plenty to love about Americas Cardroom including a generous poker bonus worth 100% of your first deposit up to $2,000. The poker software is available to download on Windows and Mac devices, and there is a limited mobile application as well.
Americas Cardroom is an excellent option for Australian players. If you would like to learn more, feel free to check out our comprehensive Americas Cardroom review.
Juicy Stakes
Juicy Stakes is a solid choice for Australian poker players as it is a partner site of Everygame and it operates on the Horizon Poker Network. Juicy Stakes offers all of the standard poker variants including NL Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, and PL Omaha. High-stakes grinders may find that the room lacks the action and high-traffic figures that some of its larger competitors boast.
Juicy Stakes offers a poker bonus worth 200% of your first deposit up to $1,000, and you can receive a total of 36% in rakeback paid out weekly. Frequent reload bonuses, overlay tournaments, and additional promotions make this platform especially inviting.
To learn more about this excellent poker room, check out our detailed and comprehensive Juicy Stakes Poker review.
SwC Poker
SwCPoker is a crypto-focused poker site that used to be known as Seals with Clubs until the name change in 2015. SwCPoker operates all gameplay and cashier functions utilising Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. Numerous poker variants are on offer here including NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 5 Card Omaha, Pineapple, and Razz.
SwC offers anonymous registration, so you won't be required to provide any personal information to play. The site has a unique and retro design, featuring pixelated graphics to bring you back in time. The software itself runs smoothly and seamlessly. Freerolls run at SwC Poker hourly, so you can jump into the action without investing any of your own money. You aren't required to download any software as SwC offers an HTML5 browser-based option in addition to downloadable clients for Mac, Windows, and Android devices. You can also take advantage of an excellent rewards system and earn up to 50% ongoing rakeback.
For more detail about SwCPoker, head over to our well-researched SwCPoker review.
Quick Facts About Poker in ACT
- Population: 462,213
- Legal Age for Gambling: 18
- Gambling Tax: 15%
- Number of Land-Based Casinos: 2
- Regulated By: ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
- Most Popular Casino Games: Roulette, Blackjack, Pokies
Canberra vs Australian Capital Territory Poker
The Australian Capital Territory includes the city of Canberra and some other townships such as Williamsdale, Naas, Uriarra, Tharwa, and Hall. For live gambling action inside a land-based casino, the best choice is, of course, the city of Canberra, the only urban entity within the Australian Capital Territory with the most significant population by far.
In terms of online games, Canberra has a lot to offer. For specific and detailed information about those, please check Canberra online poker page. As for the other areas and small villages in ACT, it is possible to access the recommended online poker websites as long as there is a solid Internet connection and a laptop or smartphone available.
Can I Legally Play Online Poker in ACT?
As a player based in the ACT zone, no laws forbid you from partaking in online gambling. A player’s involvement in such is not something that the criminal code can take issue with. Instead, the law focuses on the operators who intend to provide their services to the online world. As determined by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, online casinos and other such services are illegal for companies based within Australia.
The authorities are very stringent about these rules. They have placed a lot of focus on eliminating such activities from the country. So instead, players have turned to offshore casinos, poker rooms, sportsbooks, and so on to enjoy online activities. These foreign-based platforms do not fall within the confines of Australian law, meaning that players can easily visit their websites and sign up for an account. And even though an amendment to the Interactive Gambling Act came about in 2017, which strengthened various loopholes, this did not affect players’ abilities to access online poker.
Players are also not forced to pay taxes on their online gambling winnings, which is another significant part of it. Therefore, playing online poker from the Australian Capital Territory at one of the recommended offshore platforms is safe. And only you get to benefit from the winnings. So, in answer to the question, yes, it is legal to play online poker in the ACT.
Land-Based Casinos in ACT
Because of its relatively small size compared to other Aussie states, the ACT only has two land-based casinos to visit. Only one of those two casinos provides the possibility of playing poker inside it, though. The other is located at Thoroughbred Park, a racetrack with a casino integrated into it. So, the best land-based casino is:
Casino Canberra
This casino, which is located in the capital city of Australia, is definitely the place to go if you want to enjoy land-based poker action. Described as a “European-style” gaming venue, Casino Canberra was opened in 1994 and then taken over by the Aquis Group in 2014. Pokies were not available at the casino initially, but the government agreed to introduce up to 200 new slots machines in 2016, and these join 45 gaming tables and a dedicated poker parlour.
- Address: 21 Binara Street
Canberra
ACT 2061
Australia - Contact Info: 61 2 6243 3700
- Working Hours: 12 pm – 4 am
- Casino Games: Baccarat, Texas Hold’em, Blackjack, Money Wheel, Poker, Pai Gow, Pontoon, Roulette, Pokies, Stadium Gaming
- Tournaments: Freeroll Poker, Monthly Poker Classic, Satellite Poker
- Official Website: Casino Canberra Poker Pit
Casino Canberra is the first legal land-based casino in the ACT.Australian Capital Territory Online Poker FAQ
We will only recommend that you visit and join the sites on our list because we have thoroughly verified their trustworthiness. All of them are fully licensed and regulated, and they have to adhere to fair gaming legislation.
As is the case with playing poker in a land-based venue in this area of Australia, you must be at least 18 years of age.
Yes, online poker is accessible in mobile format from an Android or iOS device. Simply load the poker room up via your device’s web browser to proceed with this.
Is There a Gambling Problem in the Australian Capital Territory?
A survey from 2019 displayed information that as much as 14% of the ACT population had been negatively affected by gambling. That report carried out by researchers in the Australian Capital Territory warned that the state needs to discuss gambling addiction seriously. Yet this has also been a problem spreading across Australia, rather than solely within the ACT zone.
The amendment to the Interactive Gambling Act from 2017 was created to combat problem gambling at a higher level. While this did have a specific sort of impact, it has not canceled it out altogether. Should you have concerns over your gambling habits, or even about someone else’s activity, you can seek help through:
Summary
The Australian Capital Territory may be the smallest state within Australia. Still, it maintains a healthy activity level where gambling is concerned. And with multiple online poker rooms available, the gambling activity is set to continue. So if you consider yourself an avid fan of poker, feel free to check out the recommended poker platforms featured in this article to find one that caters to you.