Is it illegal for a player to play online poker in Australia?

The Act's offences and penalties are aimed at operators and advertisers, not players. ACMA warns that players on illegal sites have no Australian consumer protection and risk losing deposits and winnings, and that the sites may be blocked.

What is the legal gambling age in Australia?

18. Casinos admit adults only, and you may need to show a physical photo ID. International visitors can use a passport.

Do I pay tax on poker winnings in Australia?

Generally no, for recreational players. The ATO treats winnings as taxable only for someone carrying on a business of gambling, which it says is rare.

Are there poker tournaments in Australia?

Yes. Festivals and tournament series run at casinos and clubs in Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast, including the Aussie Millions at Crown Melbourne. See our calendar for dates.

Poker in Australia

Q: Is online poker legal in Australia?

No. Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, operators may not offer online poker to people in Australia, and no Australian online poker licence exists. Most offshore poker sites left after the 2017 amendment. ACMA blocks illegal sites and has taken local poker app operators to court.

Live poker is legal at state-licensed casinos such as Crown Melbourne, The Star Sydney and The Star Gold Coast, and some non-gambling tournament formats run in pubs and clubs under state rules. Online poker may not be offered to Australians under the Interactive Gambling Act, although the law targets operators, not players.

Is Poker Legal in Australia?

Live Poker: Legal, Licensed
Online Poker: Illegal
Casino Age: 18+
Last Checked: October 28, 2026

A summary of the law from official and reliable sources, not legal advice. Laws change: check the sources and the rules of the venue before you play.

ByAsiaPokerHub Data Desk

Reviewed byJessyData Editor & Reviewer

October 28, 2026

•

7 min read

Based on data from AsiaPokerHub and generated using AI assistance. Fact-checked by Gábor Magyari, October 28, 2026.
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Australia at a Glance

Capital: Canberra
Population: about 24.1 million
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD, $)
Languages: English
Time Zone: UTC+5, UTC+6:30, UTC+7, UTC+8, UTC+9:30, UTC+10, UTC+10:30, UTC+11:30
Calling Code: +61

Where to Play Poker in Australia

The casinos and venues that host the most poker festivals in our database.

Crown Melbourne

Melbourne, Australia

Festivals: 2
Last Festival: Oct 2026

The Star Gold Coast

Gold Coast, Australia

Festivals: 2
Last Festival: Sep 2024

The Star Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Festivals: 2
Last Festival: Sep 2026

Poker Palace Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Festivals: 1
Last Festival: Mar 2024

Poker Tournaments in Australia

Australia Poker Calendar

Biggest Results in the Last 12 Months

Event	Festival	Winner	Entries	Prize Pool
#11 Aussie Millions Main EventMay 10 2026	Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026Melbourne	Malcolm Trayner	770	AUD 7.7M~$5.5M
#1 Opening EventApr 28 2026	Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026Melbourne	Joshua Duce	2,144	AUD 2.8M~$2M
#24 Championship EventSep 30 2026	WPT Australia 2026Sydney	Alex Thompson	527	AUD 2.4M~$1.8M
#9 $25K ChallengeMay 4 2026	Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026Melbourne	Andy Lee	98	AUD 2.4M~$1.7M
#8 $5K ChallengeMay 2 2026	Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026Melbourne	Joseph Antar	464	AUD 2.1M~$1.5M
#12 Victorian Champs Main EventOct 27 2026	Victorian Poker Championship 2026Melbourne	Hun Wei Lee	715	AUD 1.6M~$1.1M

Is Live Poker Legal in Australia?

Legal, Licensed

Gambling on land is regulated by each state and territory, and casinos run under state casino licences. Real-money poker, both cash games and tournaments, is offered at licensed casinos, and Crown Melbourne hosts the Aussie Millions. Outside casinos, poker played for money can be unlawful gambling under state law. Pub and club tournaments therefore run under formats where players do not bet on the outcome, and the rules differ from state to state. After inquiries into Crown and The Star, the states added tougher controls, including carded play and cash limits.^{[13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 9]}

Queensland says poker can be played lawfully in its 4 casinos. Outside them, poker with gambling may be an unlawful game under the Criminal Code.
In Queensland, a tournament with no betting or gambling on the outcome is not unlawful. Its regulator says entry fees and prizes stated in the terms are not prohibited in that case.
NSW publishes Fact sheet FS3001 (updated August 2025) on running poker tournaments legally in private games, licensed venues and charity events.
Queensland found The Star unsuitable to hold a casino licence in October 2022 and fined it $100 million. A special manager oversees The Star Gold Coast until at least 31 March 2027.
At Crown Melbourne, gaming machines and electronic table games need an ID-linked card, and machine play needs YourPlay limits. Live table games are not mentioned.
NSW casinos (The Star Sydney, Crown Sydney) have a daily cash limit of AUD 5,000 per customer. A planned cut to AUD 1,000 is deferred to 19 August 2027.

Where You Can Play Legally in Australia

State-licensed casinos with poker rooms or tournament series (e.g. Crown Melbourne, The Star Sydney, The Star Gold Coast)
Pubs and clubs running tournaments under non-gambling formats allowed by state rules (e.g. Southport Sharks, Canterbury League Club)
Charity poker events where state rules allow them

Age: 18 is confirmed for NSW casinos (Crown Sydney terms; NSW compliance reporting). Other states also use 18, but this was not checked against each state's law.^{[19, 20]}

Is Online Poker Legal in Australia?

Illegal

Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, online casino-style games, poker included, are prohibited services that may not be offered to customers in Australia. The 2017 amendment, in force from 13 September 2017, added an offence for supplying unlicensed services, and the major offshore poker sites left the market around that time. The Act's offences and penalties target providers and advertisers, not players. Licensed online sports and race wagering and lotteries are legal, and no online poker licence exists.^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10]}

Licensed online poker: None
Players can be prosecuted: No
Sites blocked: Yes
Advertising ban: Yes

No Australian licence exists for online poker. ACMA's Chair said in 2026 that 'offering online poker to Australians is illegal'.
In 2026 the Federal Court ordered AUD 24.24 million in penalties against the providers of PPPfish, Shuffle Gaming and Redraw Poker, which were local poker apps using virtual chips.
ACMA has internet providers block illegal gambling sites and copycat 'mirror' sites. It blocked 187 websites in April to June 2026 alone.
ACMA says 215 offshore services left the Australian market after enforcement of the new rules began in 2017. PokerStars announced its exit in August 2017.
The Act's offences apply to providers and advertisers. ACMA warns that players on illegal sites get no Australian protection and may lose deposits or winnings.
Advertising prohibited interactive gambling services in Australia is banned (IGA Part 7A).

Poker Cities and What to See

Melbourne

Melbourne is Victoria's capital, reached through Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine). Crown Melbourne sits on the Southbank riverfront and hosts the Aussie Millions.

Poker in Melbourne

Crown Melbourne

What to See in Melbourne

Sydney

Sydney is Australia's largest city and is served by Sydney Airport. The Star is in Pyrmont next to Darling Harbour, and Belmore is a suburb in the south-west.

Poker in Sydney

The Star Sydney
Poker Palace Sydney
Canterbury League Club (Belmore)

What to See in Sydney

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is a beach resort city in south-east Queensland, served by Gold Coast Airport and about an hour by road from Brisbane. The Star is in Broadbeach and Southport Sharks is in Southport.

Poker in Gold Coast

The Star Gold Coast
Southport Sharks

What to See in Gold Coast

Travel Tips for Players

Visa: Visitors need a visa or travel authority before arriving. Depending on the passport, many visitors can use the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601, applied for in the Australian ETA app, AUD 20 service fee, stays of up to 3 months per visit) or the free eVisitor (subclass 651). Check eligibility on the Home Affairs site: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
Money: The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD) and cards are widely accepted. NSW casinos limit cash used for gaming to AUD 5,000 per customer per day, so check the venue's cash and card rules before a big buy-in.
Casino Entry: You must be 18 or over and may need a physical photo ID. For card registration Crown accepts a passport. Crown Melbourne asks for smart casual dress and footwear, and Crown Sydney admits members only (membership is free).
Tax on Winnings: Recreational gambling winnings are generally not taxed in Australia. The ATO says it is rare for a punter to be found to carry on a business of gambling, and that winnings are taxable only if gambling is run in a systematic, businesslike way. The ATO pages do not deal with visitors separately.

^{[26, 27, 21, 17, 18, 19, 11, 12]}

Responsible Gambling

Gambling should stay fun. If it stops being fun, get help early.

Help in Australia: Gambling Help Online / National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858 (free, 24/7, also chat and email)

Self-exclusion: BetStop, the national self-exclusion register (betstop.gov.au), excludes you from all licensed online and phone wagering providers for 3 months up to a lifetime. It does not cover casinos, pokies or TAB outlets, which have their own venue exclusion schemes.

More help and international lines on our Responsible Gambling page.^{[23, 24, 25]}