Tasmania, Australia BANS Poker in Pubs and Clubs

Toward the end of November 2023, the Tasmanian Liquor & Gaming Commission (TLGC) along with the government of Tasmania announced that all poker clubs and real money poker games taking place outside of a casino are illegal and will be banned. This news was delivered via an updated poker fact sheet posted to the website of the Tasmanian government.

In recent years, poker clubs have gained popularity in Tasmania in part due to the presence of the Tasmanian Poker League and Australian Poker League (APL), two entities that have been dedicated to providing poker games throughout Tasmania. However, these types of games appear to be illegal as they require the purchase of merchandise in lieu of a buyin, which is now considered illegal under the new rules.

Is Poker Really Illegal in Tasmania?

This issue really boils down to the way that the laws are written and enforced. It has always been illegal to use cash to buy into games and play poker outside of licensed casinos. Australian poker laws are a bit confusing, but Tasmania has its own regulations and laws in place.

To circumvent this law, groups like the Australian Poker League have employed a system where players buy merchandise which is then used as a buy-in thus in theory circumventing the law preventing cash buy-ins.

The TLGC received a tip regarding this practice and decided that this kind of poker game is clearly in violation of the law and the spirit of the regulations. Now, buying merchandise to use as a buy-in is not allowed, and the only legal poker with real prizes will have to take place in casinos. There appears to be a carve out for freerolls, which do not require any fee or cost in order to play.

Poker Clubs Are Popular in Texas and Other Areas

Although the details of how these tournaments and poker games operate vary, this kind of legal situation is not exactly unique or new. There are numerous poker clubs in states like Texas and Oregon that operate in a bit of a legal grey area.

Usually, these poker clubs cannot charge rake and instead charge players a recurring membership fee as well as an hourly fee to use the facilities of the premises. These facilities generally include televisions, seating, a pool table or two, perhaps a few board games, and, of course, poker games. These games still involve real money, often large sums of money, and the legality of these operations is still somewhat questionable.

Despite this questionability with regard to the laws, these kinds of clubs have seen great success. One example of this is The Lodge in Round Rock, Texas. The Lodge has seen massive growth and success in recent years, in part due to its partnership with popular poker players Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen who have taken an ownership stake in The Lodge cardroom.

It appears that the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission has already thought of this possible loophole. It specifically prohibits games involving the payment of “periodic membership fee” although there are probably tons of loopholes around this language still available.

Tasmania Poker Clubs Forced to Shut Down

As a result of these policy changes, all poker clubs and poker games that have been operating outside of casinos will be forced to cease entirely. In addition to many dedicated poker clubs, this ban will also impact poker games and leagues that have been taking place in bars and pubs throughout Tasmania.

As you can see in the image below, even smaller poker operations have no choice but to stop operating in order to abide by the new regulations and laws instituted.

Tasmanian Poker League Facebook Post Regarding the Ban

Most of these poker leagues utilised methods of skirting the previous regulations regarding poker by having players purchase merchandise which would then be used to buy in. After the TLGC received a tip about these kinds of games, it decided it needed to quell this practice as it violated the spirit of the law.

Founder of the Australian Poker Schedule Website Comments on The Ban

Craig Abernathy is the founder of the website Australian Poker Schedule, and he is quite involved in the Tasmania Australian poker scene. Craig had the following comments regarding this recent ban:

Poker is a game that anyone can and does play and compete at, from seniors, the deaf and hard of hearing community, people with a disability, male, female, young, old, it doesn’t discriminate,

Australian Poker Schedule website founded by Craig Abernathy

Entain Also Impacted by The Ban

Entain is a large gambling brand associated with numerous ventures, including online gambling sites, sports betting sites, and more. Among Entain's brands is Northern Territory-licensed sportsbook Neds. Recently, Entain purchased the Australian Poker League, so it seems inevitable that this ban will impact their operations and success.

Unfortunately for Entain, this is not their first roadblock as they have been penalised more than once in the past, including last year when it was penalised 17 million by the UK Gambling Commission for failing to adhere to anti-money laundering laws and regulations.

Online Poker Still Booming Throughout Australia

Although this ban is certainly bad news for Australians who enjoy playing live poker, fortunately, there are still plenty of reliable options for playing online poker. For instance, you can join Ignition Casino Poker and get a 150% up to $1,500 bonus in the cardroom as well as another $1,500 to use on casino games. Click the button below to sign up at Ignition:

You can learn more about this operator in this factual Ignition Poker review. To learn more about the best options for online poker in Australia, you may wish to browse over to this detailed Australian online poker guide.