Australian Online Poker Alliance fighting for online poker rights

The Australian Online Poker Alliance is building up a head of steam as they try to put pressure on politicians to change the wording in the proposed Interactive Gambling Bill that if passed would spell the end for online poker in Australia as they know it.

Last April, Minister for Human Services, Alan Tudge began his crusade to become Australia’s public enemy number one of the gambling world when he promised to tighten legislation governing in-play sports betting.

Seven months later and he laid down his plans, submitting the Interactive Gambling Bill 2016 to Parliament, containing wording that would effectively ban in-play betting apps, and bring the hammer down on international poker operators, because the wording would deem online poker a form of in-play betting.

PokerStars reacted to the news by informing their Australian based online poker players that they could leave the market if the bill received the thumbs up. Earlier this month, 888Poker decided it wasn’t worth the wait when they withdrew.