Poker in Australia
It took a while for poker to catch on in Australia. For a long time, Pokies (slot machines) have been the number one form of gambling, and it was only in the last couple of decades that other type of casino-style games have started creeping into the Australian gambling scene.
Today, Australian poker is really getting popular fast. Huge tournaments are held every year, such as the enormous Aussie Millions poker tournament that offers a $2 million first prize and brings players to the tables from all over the world. Also, some of the world’s top poker players are Australians.
Online Poker in Australia
Australian online poker is still somewhat limited. This is mostly because Australians are not allowed to play at Australian online poker rooms. Instead, they have to go use online poker sites that are hosted in other countries, where the Australian government has no jurisdiction. There are plenty of choices, and many internet poker sites are happy to let Australians join.
Some of these poker sites even offer special promotions and events just for Australian players, like qualifier tournaments or special package prizes that include comped entry into big tournaments like the Aussie Millions. Also, some sites will let players wager using Australian Dollars.
In March 2013 the Aussie government released a report reviewing the current regulations. One of its recommendations were to “enable and encourage (currently prohibited) online gaming sites (as well as currently licensed sites that prevent Australians from accessing their online poker tournaments) to become licensed in Australia on condition that they [...] only offer online tournament poker (that is, the lowest risk type of online gaming).”