As of recent, there have been talks of many possible changes to Australia’s gambling regulations. As a result, a number of online brands have made the decision to put a halt to offering their services to the country, in an effort to avoid getting in any hot water due to a lack of licensing. The latest to jump on this bandwagon is 32Red, following in the footsteps of brands like William Hill, Vera&John, and 888 Holdings, who have already made their departure. 32Red ceased its services as of April 3rd, 2017. This applies to all of its products, such as casino, poker, and sportsbook. The brand promptly informed customers and affiliates via email. In regards to 32Red affiliates, they must remove any hyperlinks or banners from their websites, concluding all promotion to the Australian community. It is speculated that PokerStars will be the next to take its leave.
The main amendment up for consideration, and the reason so many online companies have begun withdrawing services from the country, is a law that will keep offshore gambling operators, without licensing, from delivering their products. Thus far, brands have been able to get away with it, due to regulations permitting offshore operators with licensing in OTHER countries to provide services in Australia. However, as of last month, the country has taken steps to tighten things up.
An Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill was initiated in 2016, with a third reading passed just last month, on March 21st. The purpose of the bill is to remove the obvious ambiguities in the regulations.
Source:
“32Red withdraws services from Australia in wake of gambling regulation changes”, Kelley Marie, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, April 6, 2017.
