The Short Answer
Real-money online poker is not legally available to Australian residents as of August 2026. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2017 banned offshore operators from offering online poker and other interactive gambling services to Australians. All major operators withdrew from the Australian market in 2017. The only legal real-money poker available to Australian residents is live poker at licensed clubs and casinos.
PokerSites.org does not recommend using VPNs or other workarounds to access offshore poker sites, as this violates operator terms of service and places player funds at risk.
Why Online Poker Is Banned in Australia
Australia's gambling regulation framework has two key layers:
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) was the original federal legislation that prohibited most online gambling but included an exemption for poker. This carve-out allowed offshore operators to legally serve Australian players for over 15 years, making Australia one of the largest online poker markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2017 closed that exemption. The amendment specifically targeted "prohibited interactive gambling services," which it defined to include online poker. The new law prohibits operators—not players—from offering real-money online poker to Australian residents.
Penalties for operators are severe: up to AUD $1.35 million per day for each offense, making continued operation in Australia economically untenable for any licensed operator.
What Happened in 2017
In September 2017, within weeks of the amendment's passage, every major online poker operator suspended Australian player accounts:
- Major operators processed refunds of all player balances and exited the market entirely
- Players had their funds returned via cheque, bank transfer, or player-to-player transfers
The Australian Online Poker Alliance and advocacy groups, including former WSOP champion Joe Hachem (Australian), lobbied heavily against the ban, arguing it would harm players and push gambling underground. However, the government prioritized protecting domestic gambling revenue from the state-run lotteries and gambling regulators.
The result was dramatic: Australia transformed from a robust online poker market with tens of thousands of active players to zero regulated online poker options within months.
The Push to Legalize
Since 2017, various campaigns have sought to legalize online poker in Australia:
- The Australian Online Poker Alliance has continuously advocated for a regulated offshore licensing framework similar to those in the UK or Denmark
- Joe Hachem, 2005 WSOP Main Event champion, has been a vocal public advocate for legalization
- Parliamentary inquiries into gambling regulation have touched on online poker, but no substantive bills to legalize it have advanced through either house of Parliament
As of August 2026, there is no indication that the government plans to legalize offshore online poker in the near term. While periodic media coverage and industry campaigns keep the issue alive, the domestic gambling industry's interests and conservative gambling policy have prevailed.
Live Poker in Australia
The good news: live poker is thriving and entirely legal in Australia. Major venues include:
- Crown Melbourne (Victoria) — hosts the Australian Poker League
- Crown Sydney (New South Wales)
- The Star Sydney (New South Wales) — high-volume tournament series
- Treasury Brisbane (Queensland)
- SkyCity Adelaide (South Australia)
Tournament Series:
- Aussie Millions (Crown Melbourne, typically January) — Australia's flagship tournament series with buy-ins from $500 to $20,000+
- WSOP Asia-Pacific events — occasionally held at Australian venues
- State-level championship series at most major venues
Live poker in Australia is regulated and operates legally. The review team's feedback from Australian players emphasizes that the live poker community is robust, welcoming, and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
Social and Play-Money Options
Several platforms offer poker without real-money stakes and operate in a legal gray area in Australia:
- ClubGG — play-money poker with social features
- PokerStars Play — a play-money poker app
- World Poker Club — free-to-play poker app
- PPPoker — club-based poker app where some clubs run with real money
The review team does not endorse these platforms for real-money play, as many operate outside Australian regulation. Some PPPoker clubs reportedly run with real-money pots, which violates the law and places players at risk.
Responsible Gambling
If you have concerns about your gambling, these resources provide free and confidential support:
- Gambling Help Online: gamblinghelponline.org.au (free counseling and information)
- National Gambling Helpline: 1800 858 858 (24/7, free)
- Gamblers Anonymous Australia: meetings and peer support across the country
FAQ
Is online poker legal in Australia?
No. Real-money online poker is not legal for Australian residents. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2017 explicitly banned offshore operators from offering online poker to Australians. This law applies to operators, not to players, but because all licensed operators exited the market, there is no legal way for Australian residents to play real-money online poker.
Why was online poker banned in Australia?
The Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2017 closed a loophole in the original 2001 legislation that had exempted poker from the online gambling ban. The government cited public health concerns about problem gambling and a desire to protect domestic gambling revenues. The amendment passed with broad support from state gambling regulators and the gambling industry.
Can I use a VPN to play on overseas poker sites?
Technically, you could attempt to use a VPN to access offshore poker sites from Australia, but the review team strongly recommends against this. Using a VPN violates the terms of service of every legitimate operator, and if detected, your account would be frozen and funds forfeited. Additionally, poker sites have sophisticated geolocation and fraud detection systems that make VPN use unreliable. The legal and financial risks are not worth the small chance of success.
Will Australia legalize online poker?
There is no concrete indication as of August 2026 that the government plans to legalize online poker in the near term. While advocacy groups and industry figures like Joe Hachem continue to push for legalization, the domestic gambling industry and regulators have shown no appetite for change. Parliamentary inquiries have touched on the issue but produced no actionable proposals.
Are there any legal alternatives to real-money online poker in Australia?
Yes. Live poker at licensed venues (Crown Melbourne, Crown Sydney, The Star Sydney, and others) is entirely legal and thriving. Play-money poker apps like PokerStars Play and ClubGG are also legal, though they do not offer real-money play. These are the only legal options available to Australian residents.
Is it illegal for players to play online poker, or just for operators?
The law targets operators, not players. However, because all legitimate operators have exited Australia, it is virtually impossible for an Australian resident to legally play real-money online poker. Any site that claims to accept Australian players is either unregulated or operating illegally.
Related: Online Poker in New Zealand
Unlike Australia, New Zealand permits its residents to play on offshore poker sites. If you're a dual AU/NZ resident or planning to travel to New Zealand, see our NZ poker guide for the operators currently accepting NZ players.
Learn More
For a full explanation of our testing and review methodology, see the PokerSites.org Methodology page. For information on responsible gambling, visit the Responsible Gambling page.