Australian Real Money Poker Apps
If you've found your way to this page then it's probably because you've received an email from the major poker rooms like PokerStars, 888poker or PartyPoker stating that they no longer want your business. To make matters worse, even offshore online poker rooms like Americas Cardroom, BetOnline and Blackchip Poker decided that it was no longer worth the legal risk of providing real money poker services to citizens of Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or the Gold Coast.
Before you give up hope, we are happy to report that a couple of online poker rooms still operate and are happy to accept real money Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker players from Australia. Both of these poker sites have excellent mobile poker clients for iPad, Android and iPhone that support both ring game and a variety of tournaments. While Nitrogen Poker only accept bitcoin for deposits and withdrawals, Australian poker players can make deposits with both cryptocurrency and Australian dollars at Ignition.
Before you give up hope, we are happy to report that a couple of online poker rooms still operate and are happy to accept real money Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker players from Australia. Both of these poker sites have excellent mobile poker clients for iPad, Android and iPhone that support both ring game and a variety of tournaments. While Nitrogen Poker only accept bitcoin for deposits and withdrawals, Australian poker players can make deposits with both cryptocurrency and Australian dollars at Ignition.
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IGNITION POKER - AUSTRALIAN FRIENDLY
Ignition Casino Poker is the best option left open to real money poker players in Australia. It has a huge amount of traffic due to the fact it's on the same poker network as USA and Canadian poker rooms Bodog and Bovada. This iPhone and Android compatible poker room now offers Multi-Table Tournaments, Sit & Go's and wide variety of Texas Hold'em and Omaha cash games. |
Australian Poker Legislation
The online poker market in Australia took a hit back in 2017 following the passing of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill on August 9th. The legal changes effectively banned online cardrooms that are not licensed locally under State or Territory law in Australia.
Opposition to the Bill
The process of enacting legal changes is typically a lengthy one, and during this period the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill faced opposition from the Australian Online Poker Alliance. The group – comprised of passionate poker players and online regulars from around the country – managed to spark the attention of Senator David Leyonhjelm. Speaking at a follow-up reading of the proposed changes in March of 2017, just a few months before the Bill was enacted, the Senator voiced:
‘I oppose the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016. It is paternalistic, nanny-state legislation . . . caught up in this bad legislation are hundreds of Australians who enjoy … online poker . . . I believe individuals have a right to make decisions for themselves, no matter whether we would make the same decision ourselves’.
Ultimately, both his efforts and those of the AOPA were not able to prevent the legal changes being implemented. So, what’s the state of online poker in Australia looking like now?
Which Sites Have Gone?
Following these events at the close of 2017, the impact of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill has forced the majority of online cardrooms formerly available in Australia to exit the market. Below are the most notable sites to go:
So… Is It Illegal to Play Online Poker in Australia?
There is some good news if you live in Australia and are looking to play online poker. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill does not make it illegal for you to play online poker – but rather it makes it illegal for certain providers of it. (If you’re a player anxious about this, you can view a PDF of the official document at Australia’s parliamentary info site here for some peace of mind.)
Where to Play Mobile Poker in Australia
Fortunately, it’s not all over then for Australian lovers of online poker. You can still legally enjoy the game, and there are a couple of sites out there where you are able to – even if you’re a mobile or tablet user. The best recommendations, particularly for mobile players, are Ignition Casino and Nitrogen Sports Poker, and you can find out why in our reviews below:
IGNITION AUSTRALIAN POKER ROOM
This online poker room is best known for providing Americans with games to enjoy, and Ignition Casino benefits hugely from sharing its player pool with both Bovada and Bodog. Together, the sites get traffic from 15+ countries including Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. High traffic means a consistent variety of games are running, and with a recently optimised app for mobile and tablet players, Ignition Casino is the best choice for Australians looking to hit the virtual felt.
Games on Offer
When it comes to table choices available, Ignition Casino has it all. Cash game enthusiasts have a choice of regular tables – in each heads-up, 6-max and 9-max varieties – as well as the popular Zone poker format which offers fast-fold games. Buy-ins start from $2, with tables running anonymously, so you can focus on playing your game without worrying about getting exploited by others.
There’s also a bunch of tournament and sit & go games on offer, with Ignition’s Jackpot sit & go’s deserving of a special mention. These 3-max, hyper-turbo sit & go’s allow players to compete for a random jackpot which can amount to more than 1200x the initial buy-in. Usually lasting no more than 10 minutes, this format is perfect for mobile users that want to enjoy some poker without having to commit hours to it.
Account Creation & Deposits
You can sign up for an account at Nitrogen Sports Poker with a valid e-mail address, postal code and phone number. Australians can deposit using credit/debit card or cryptocurrency (including Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash), with the latter holding a couple of advantages such as instant deposits, generous deposit bonuses and free, fast withdrawals.
NITROGEN SPORTS AUSSIE POKER
As the name suggests, Nitrogen Sports might be better known for its huge sportsbook, but that doesn’t mean that their poker app is just an afterthought – far from it. While it might not boast the traffic that Ignition Casino does, it gives players a quick and easy way to get playing poker online, and even offers multi-table functionality for mobile users which is something Ignition does not!
Games on Offer
Nitrogen has cash games, sit & go’s and multi-table tournaments available via their browser-based poker app. A unique aspect to this online cardroom is its provision of extremely small stakes (starting at 0.01/0.02 mBTC), making it a great choice for players that want to get a feel for online poker without making a huge financial commitment to it. Of course, these stakes are subject to fluctuation based upon the price of Bitcoin, but with so many buy-in options available you can always find one to fit your bankroll.
The app also has a number of fun gamified features, including challenges, achievements, items and avatars. Combine this with soft games and regular freerolls, and the Nitrogen Sports Poker app is a legitimate alternative for Australian players looking for something a bit different.
Account Creation & Deposits
On visiting Nitrogen Sports Poker at Nitrogen Sports, you’ll automatically have an account created for you. Visit Nitrogento add an e-mail, username and password so that you can securely track deposits and withdrawals. Two-factor authentication is supported, so you can be confident that Nitrogen value your security. Deposits and withdrawals are all carried out through Bitcoin, with the benefit of anonymous and fast transfers.
Opposition to the Bill
The process of enacting legal changes is typically a lengthy one, and during this period the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill faced opposition from the Australian Online Poker Alliance. The group – comprised of passionate poker players and online regulars from around the country – managed to spark the attention of Senator David Leyonhjelm. Speaking at a follow-up reading of the proposed changes in March of 2017, just a few months before the Bill was enacted, the Senator voiced:
‘I oppose the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016. It is paternalistic, nanny-state legislation . . . caught up in this bad legislation are hundreds of Australians who enjoy … online poker . . . I believe individuals have a right to make decisions for themselves, no matter whether we would make the same decision ourselves’.
Ultimately, both his efforts and those of the AOPA were not able to prevent the legal changes being implemented. So, what’s the state of online poker in Australia looking like now?
Which Sites Have Gone?
Following these events at the close of 2017, the impact of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill has forced the majority of online cardrooms formerly available in Australia to exit the market. Below are the most notable sites to go:
- 888Poker – left in January 2017 as the Bill gathered momentum in parliament.
- PartyPoker – announced to players on August 22nd 2017 that service would be suspended for Australian users active from August 31st.
- PokerStars – Australians were denied access to PokerStars from September 11th 2017.
- Americas Cardroom (and all other Winning Poker Network-affiliated sites) – announced a departure from the Aus market on August 25th 2017.
- BetOnline – like 888Poker, the site left prior to the Bill’s official passing back in April 2017.
So… Is It Illegal to Play Online Poker in Australia?
There is some good news if you live in Australia and are looking to play online poker. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill does not make it illegal for you to play online poker – but rather it makes it illegal for certain providers of it. (If you’re a player anxious about this, you can view a PDF of the official document at Australia’s parliamentary info site here for some peace of mind.)
Where to Play Mobile Poker in Australia
Fortunately, it’s not all over then for Australian lovers of online poker. You can still legally enjoy the game, and there are a couple of sites out there where you are able to – even if you’re a mobile or tablet user. The best recommendations, particularly for mobile players, are Ignition Casino and Nitrogen Sports Poker, and you can find out why in our reviews below:
IGNITION AUSTRALIAN POKER ROOM
This online poker room is best known for providing Americans with games to enjoy, and Ignition Casino benefits hugely from sharing its player pool with both Bovada and Bodog. Together, the sites get traffic from 15+ countries including Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. High traffic means a consistent variety of games are running, and with a recently optimised app for mobile and tablet players, Ignition Casino is the best choice for Australians looking to hit the virtual felt.
Games on Offer
When it comes to table choices available, Ignition Casino has it all. Cash game enthusiasts have a choice of regular tables – in each heads-up, 6-max and 9-max varieties – as well as the popular Zone poker format which offers fast-fold games. Buy-ins start from $2, with tables running anonymously, so you can focus on playing your game without worrying about getting exploited by others.
There’s also a bunch of tournament and sit & go games on offer, with Ignition’s Jackpot sit & go’s deserving of a special mention. These 3-max, hyper-turbo sit & go’s allow players to compete for a random jackpot which can amount to more than 1200x the initial buy-in. Usually lasting no more than 10 minutes, this format is perfect for mobile users that want to enjoy some poker without having to commit hours to it.
Account Creation & Deposits
You can sign up for an account at Nitrogen Sports Poker with a valid e-mail address, postal code and phone number. Australians can deposit using credit/debit card or cryptocurrency (including Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash), with the latter holding a couple of advantages such as instant deposits, generous deposit bonuses and free, fast withdrawals.
NITROGEN SPORTS AUSSIE POKER
As the name suggests, Nitrogen Sports might be better known for its huge sportsbook, but that doesn’t mean that their poker app is just an afterthought – far from it. While it might not boast the traffic that Ignition Casino does, it gives players a quick and easy way to get playing poker online, and even offers multi-table functionality for mobile users which is something Ignition does not!
Games on Offer
Nitrogen has cash games, sit & go’s and multi-table tournaments available via their browser-based poker app. A unique aspect to this online cardroom is its provision of extremely small stakes (starting at 0.01/0.02 mBTC), making it a great choice for players that want to get a feel for online poker without making a huge financial commitment to it. Of course, these stakes are subject to fluctuation based upon the price of Bitcoin, but with so many buy-in options available you can always find one to fit your bankroll.
The app also has a number of fun gamified features, including challenges, achievements, items and avatars. Combine this with soft games and regular freerolls, and the Nitrogen Sports Poker app is a legitimate alternative for Australian players looking for something a bit different.
Account Creation & Deposits
On visiting Nitrogen Sports Poker at Nitrogen Sports, you’ll automatically have an account created for you. Visit Nitrogento add an e-mail, username and password so that you can securely track deposits and withdrawals. Two-factor authentication is supported, so you can be confident that Nitrogen value your security. Deposits and withdrawals are all carried out through Bitcoin, with the benefit of anonymous and fast transfers.
