Poker in Australia

Poker is an attractive pursuit in many places in the world, while the interest in poker in Australia seems to be on the increase.

Overview of Poker in Australia

There appears to be a growing culture of poker in Australia. In comparison to the large size of Australia there are comparatively few land based poker card rooms. However, Australia does have a National Poker League which is based at various pub-based poker card rooms in Australia. Perhaps due to the legal restrictions on online gaming in the USA, interest seems to have mounted in Australia.

Legalities of Playing Online Poker in Australia

The issue of online poker and online gambling in general in Australia may be considered a little confusing. Although there is a ruling on this issue, it appears that there is no legislation to prevent an Australian citizen from playing online poker. It should be noted that the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) was passed in 2001 in Australia. This Act is directed at the operators or providers of online gambling locations and prohibits the provision of an interactive gambling service to clients residing in Australia. In this case, it appears that although providing online gambling activities is not permitted, it is not considered a crime to play online poker in Australia. It should be taken into consideration that the legal restrictions on gambling in Australia mean that companies should not advertise or promote online gambling services or products to Australians. Having said this, it would of course be difficult to enforce such a ruling on an online gambling company outside of Australia.

Live Poker Tournaments in Australia

The exciting attraction of live poker tournaments is a fine example of the seemingly rising appeal of the game of poker in Australia. This has turned into a thrilling and entertaining way to enjoy the game of poker in Australia. The main live poker tournament in Australia seems to be the Crown Australian Poker Championship – otherwise fondly known as "Aussie Millions". Today, this event, based in Melbourne, Australia, is considered to be the largest and most prestigious live poker event in the southern hemisphere. The Aussie Millions has become a large poker event with massive prize winnings and is not solely for poker players in Australia, as it attracts entrants from all around the world. The whole concept of poker seems to have gained in popularity with an increase in interest in poker in Australia.

However, the subject of live poker tournaments in Australia does not end there. The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) was launched in 2007 and is sponsored by PokerStars, the biggest online poker room worldwide. The main event of the AAPT is located in Sydney, Australia.

In addition, the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) was launched in February 2009 in Adelaide, Australia with its live satellites and sponsored by PokerStars. The introduction of an additional poker tour in the Australia area symbolizes the great appeal for this type of entertainment and the enthrallment of poker in Australia.