PartyPoker Announces Departure From Australia
Online poker site PartyPoker stated on Aug. 22, 2017 that it will no longer be allowing Australians to access its poker product starting Aug. 31. This move follows the passage of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill earlier in August. Party thus joins PokerStars, 888poker, and many other real money gaming brands in exiting the Australian market.
Details About the Decision
The abandonment of Australia by PartyPoker was announced in a blog post on the company's website. The firm states that all player funds are intact and available for withdrawal. Tom Waters, Party's Head of Poker, commented: “We regret that this day has come as Australia is a strong poker market. We will continue to work with the Australian player alliance to lobby the government to provide a safe regulated environment for residents to play online poker in the future.”
What This Means for Players
There seem to be fewer and fewer places for Australia's citizens to enjoy online poker with every passing day. Within a month from now, they will no longer be able to participate at any site in the top four of global player traffic according to site liquidity numbers from GameIntel.com. There are indications that the authorities are investigating the possibility of setting up a licensing framework for online poker particularly in light of the recent parliamentary committee hearing at which U.K.-focused gambling enterprise Betway Group testified. Until a new arrangement is established to oversee the pastime, it's impossible for poker providers to operate legally because there's no body currently accredited to issue licenses for online poker in Oz either at the federal or state level.
Gray Market Sites
Despite these changes, people from The Land Down Under can still play virtual card games at many internet sites. This is because there are a number of gray market organizations that are willing to take the chance of serving an unregulated country. Most of these corporations already have a long history of dealing online poker games fairly and honestly, so it's not as though customers have to take the risk of trusting untried and unknown entities with their money. Ignition Casino is a prime example. It and other Bodog-branded poker rooms have been serving the United States for more than a decade, and Ignition has recently started accepting Australian users. AU players can expect the same speedy payouts, well-run games, and integrity that Ignition and other firms have already delivered to customers in many geographic areas.
Find a New Poker Home
If you're an Aussie who has been affected by recent events and are seeking out a new place for poker online, then you have quite a few options. Ignition, which we've mentioned above, will give you a 100% up to $1,350 poker bonus when you make your first deposit, and you'll also get a 100% up to $1,000 bonus for casino games. Read our accurate and truthful Ignition Poker review for details on how to sign up. You can also check out our page devoted to online poker in Australia to get a better understanding of the companies that are still willing to serve you.