Strewth! LeoVegas are Leaving the Australian Market...
2017-09-19 15:13:00Following in the footsteps of PokerStars, 888Casino, PartyPoker, and 32Red Swedish online casino LeoVegas have announced that they are leaving the Australian market in response to new gambling regulations. In early August, the Australian Senate moved to pass an updated version of the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill which is set to introduce a number of new regulations and restrictions for online gambling operators in Australia. The new legislation will prevent all remote operators from offering online poker and in-play sports betting in the country. This has resulted in a mass exodus of operators from the region with LeoVegas the latest company to announce their departure.
Another Blow for Australian Players
LeoVegas have announced that they’ll be leaving the Australian market, pulling all real money operations in the country on September 10th. The company has already informed its affiliates that the revenue share created by users in Australia will cease being part of their monthly figures and has told all of its Australian partners to end all activities aimed at Australian users.
The announcement is the latest in a long line of blows for Australian players with their choices of poker, gaming, and bingo becoming more and more limited. Australian gamers will no longer have access to the Swedish company’s award-winning gaming platform which offers an excellent collection of slots, table games, poker and live casino.
The move is also set to adversely affect revenue at the company. LeoVegas’ Q2 financial report for 2017 released in early August showed that revenue for the region accounted for 7.6% of the company’s overall revenue for the first 6 months of the year.
Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016
In August, the Australian Senate officially passed the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 which placed a national ban on the provision of online casino and poker. The bill has been designed to protect vulnerable online gamblers and to curb the rise of gambling addiction in the country. In 2016 Australians betted more per capita than any nation in the world and the Australian government feared that a problem gambling epidemic in the region would be inevitable if something wasn’t done. A blanket ban on online casinos and poker was seen as the best solution for combating the problem.
Since the Australian Senate first approved the amendments to the Interactive Gambling Bill 2016 in March last year a number of online gambling operators have pulled out of the region. Online bingo operator Vera & John was first to leave the region in December 2016 and were soon followed by 888 Casino in January, 32Red in April and PokerParty and PokerStars in August.
Under the new laws, which are set to come into effect in the coming weeks, all online gaming brands in Australia will be required to hold a local gaming license. Any operators who take bets from punters without a local license will be liable for fines of up to A$1.35 million (US$1 million/€950,200) per day with companies possibly being charged as much as A$6.75 million.
Check out our LeoVegas Casino Review or go visit LeoVegas now!
Top Casinos
Best Welcome Bonus
-
Pots of LuckEnjoy a fine 100% Welcome Bonus up to £100 plus 20 Free Spins at Pots of Luck, today!!!#Ad New Players Only. Wager from real balance first. 50X wager the bonus. Contribution varies per game. selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 30 Days from receipt/ free spins valid for 7 days from issue. Max conversion: 3x the bonus amount or free spins: £20. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active pending bonuses. Full T&C's Apply apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.Read ReviewClaim Bonus
-
Fortune Mobile CasinoGet your hands on an excellent £500 Welcome Bonus plus 150 Bonus Spins with Fortune Mobile Casino!#Ad First 3 deposits only. Min deposit £10. Max total bonus £500 and 150 spins. 30x wagering (dep + bonus). 30x on spins, 4x conversion, bonus and spins valid on selected slots. Full T&C’s apply. #AD, 18+ only, BeGambleAware.org.Read ReviewClaim Bonus
-
UnibetDeposit with £10 and get £40 with Unibet!#Ad 18+. BeGambleAware.org. New Customers only. Minimum Deposit £10 and Get £40 in Casino Bonus Funds. Debit card only. Up to 50x wagering, game contributions vary, max. stake applies, new customers must opt in and claim offer within 24 hours and use within 30 days. See full terms.Read ReviewClaim Bonus
-
PlayMagicalEnjoy a fine 100% Welcome Bonus up to £200 with PlayMagical!#Ad New Players Only. Wagering occurs from real balance first. 50X wagering the bonus. Contribution may vary per game. Available on selected games only. The wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 30 Days from receipt. Max conversion: 3 times the bonus amount. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full Terms apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.Read ReviewClaim Bonus
-
CasinoLuckCasinoLuck welcomes you with a superb 100% Welcome Bonus up to £50 and 20 Spins on the Book of Dead slot!!#Ad Terms & conditions apply. New players only. 18+. Min Deposit £10. Wagering requirement apply 35x. Offer valid for 72h. £100 Bonus/100 Spins includes 3 Deposits. BeGambleAware.org.Read ReviewClaim Bonus