Key Takeaways
- The bill now moves on to a third Senate reading and a vote in the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass and become law.
- The amendment closes perceived loopholes, clarifying that it is illegal for unlicensed overseas companies to offer gambling products to Australians, including online poker.
- Critically, the legislation stipulates that the Australian Communications and Media Authority should form active relationships with other major European operators now expected to withdraw from market.
The Australian Government approved the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 that seeks to enforce existing laws to ban unlicensed online gambling, including poker.
An effort to exclude online poker was rejected during the second reading on Monday. On Tuesday, the legislation was approved by the Senate. The bill now moves on to a third Senate reading and a vote in the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass into law.
