Key Takeaways
- The Australian Senate voted on Wednesday to pass an amendment that will see the end of offshore-regulated online gaming in the country.
- It gives significantly increased powers to enforce the ban, including the ability to levy civil penalties for offending operators and a commitment to inform regulators worldwide of operators who break local laws.
- As legitimate European operators prepare for an exit, the black market experts will be readying to fill the void.
The Australian Senate voted on Wednesday to pass an amendment that will see the end of offshore-regulated online gaming in the country.
With currently no avenue for operators to apply for a local license to continue to offer online poker, the world’s major operators are now expected to exit the market within the next month.
The Senate vote came despite a pending public inquiry into online poker questioning whether the IGA amendment is a “reasonable and proportionate response.” A report on the inquiry is not set to be published until mid-September.
