Legislation currently being considered by the Parliament of Australia could spell the end of legal online poker in Australia. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016, introduced as a successor to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, passed in the House of Representatives last month, and has a strong chance of passing in the Senate when it goes to debate during the Spring 2017 parliamentary sittings.
 
Despite the fact the bill is yet to be passed, many online poker rooms are already looking to depart from Australian shores. 888 wasted no time in ditching the Australian market, withdrawing their online poker services on January 16. There’s been a great deal of speculation that PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker room, is looking to follow suit in the next few months.

One of the biggest tests faced by the mobile gambling industry is its ability to endure through government-imposed regulatory hurdles. It’s an examination currently confronting the industry in Australia, where a government crackdown has changed bettors’ access to various products and services. Yet, in spite of numerous anti-gambling measures, the Australian market continues to display a seemingly insatiable appetite for mobile gambling.
 
Regulation Comes Thick and Fast
The measures designed to curb mobile gambling in Australia have been varied. Earlier in the year, the government pushed new online gaming rules that, if passed into law, would impose a blanket ban on online poker. The move led some offshore poker platforms to withdraw their operations, while other businesses, including major players such as PokerStars, have indicated they will block players in the Australian market if the rules are approved by parliament.