Australia’s new gaming regulations currently under consideration are designed to curb in-play sports betting, but they have also created a lot of confusion for online poker sites.
A proposed amendment from Senator David Leyonhjelm, however, could save online poker according to Australian media reports. The amendment would name online poker and blackjack as legally approved games throughout the regulations.
The regulations as written would ban online games not specifically identified as legal under Australian law. That puts online poker—and most online betting other than sports betting—at risk and online sites Vera&John and 888 Poker have already pulled out of the market.
The amendment is being pushed for by the newly formed Australian Online Poker Alliance, led by poker pro Joseph Del Duca, which has been lobbying legislators about a change. Leyonhjelm, however, is a member of the country’s Liberal Democratic Party, which has only a small number of votes in Parliament.
However, Del Duca has told reporters that other legislators have expressed support for the amendment. A second reading on the regulations has been delayed about four weeks to March 20, giving the group extra time to continues its lobbying efforts.
