Imminent closure of Australian market

[jopaa]

Just got an email from Buffalo saying they will stop taking AU players and also all existing player accounts will be closed.

They estimate that all online gambling operators will be given 28 to 35 days to cease operation.

Maybe some of you (Dave ) that are based in AU can give us more details...since none of the affiliate programs that I work with let me know that they will close their doors for AU players.

In the last couple of days I also got some emails announcing the closure of the Polish market.

In the end, I think we will need have separate websites for each country.

 

[AussieDave]

@jopaa - Can you please post the email you received. I've not received any notification from BP.

AFAIK the AU Gambling Bill was motioned, subsequently voted on, and passed in the AU Senate, sometime on Tuesday 21'st of March 2017. However, to the best of my knowledge, there are still a few due process channels remaining, before the BILL, actually becomes, a Bona Fide Federal Law. One of those channels is the Governer General of Australia, who MUST sign the BILL.

Lets remember this is not Private Sector, it's Government, and the wheels of change move slowly. If you believed the industry grape vine, this BILL was going to pass in Nov, then Dec 2016. It never did. Why? Due process takes time, in Government circles.

With regard to the 28 to 35 days notice to exit the AU market. I'm guessing this is the time operators et al, have estimated, it's going to take this BILL, to pass thru due process channels. However, and reiterating, it's Government, and the wheels of change move slowly.

IMHO, given the above, I think it's more realistic that the BILL will likely become bona fide AU Federal Law, as early as late May 2017, or even as late as 1'st July 2017 (that's the start of the new financial year in AU). Then again, I could be wrong and the powers that be, want to push this BILL thru at lightning speed. Which I'll add, would be one of very few occurances that has ever happened. Laws which would be pushed thru at lighting speed, are those surrounding AU federal security & or terrorism laws. This gambling bill fits neither of those criteria.

Lets not forget, there is still a mountain of policy framework to be put in place.

Subsequently, that involves literally 100's of hours of doting i's and crossing t's, and having each and every step vetoed by their legal team, to ensure policy frameworks are both legal, and workable. This stuff does not happen overnight

Edit:
IMHO this BILL is shorted sighted at best. Doing so WILL create more drama, and headaches, than it's trying to protect. Licensed and Regulated casinos et al, will exit the AU market en masse. But as we're well aware, that void will soon be filled, whereby clip joints and rogues will flood the AU market. Good luck to the AU Federal Gov., trying to control that Beast of Havoc!!!

Here's the realistic RUB to the aformementioned...

From a players perspective, no one who currently plays online, will be happy returning to play land based AU pokies, with their RTP set to, on average 87.1% in clubs/pubs/RSL's (worse in QLD where the min is 80% RTP). And 90% in land based casinos. Not to mention the additional restrictions at pubs/clubs/RSL's where the maximum daily withdrawal/win is set at $10,000. Meaning, if by chance you win 20K, the most you will be paid of that $20K is $10K. I haven't played land based pokies in years, because frankly, they're a rip-off. Why would any online pokies player, return to dropping $50 or $100 into a pokie, that is going to bleed that cash dry in next to no time. Not to mention, no comps, no bonuses etc., etc.

This Gambling BILL is going come back and bite the likes of PM Xenophon and Wilkie on their backsides, hard. They would have been far better thinking long term (instead of pushing their own personal political agendas) and going for regulation and licensing.

Because as history has shown, time and time again, PROHABITION DOES NOT WORK...

As as side note...
What I find comical here is MP Xenophon takes total umbrage over the push for the 18C anti- discrimination Bill, being pushed back onto the table...

(theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/we-must-watch-our-step-on-alps-18c-plan-nick-xenophon/news-story/eca45350753c7305d10ad31089256119)
Quoting MP Xenophon:

“The Labor Party and Mark Dreyfus won’t be happy until we have a police state, where the thought police are telling Australians what they can and can’t say.”

lol... The thought police telling Australians what they can and can't say.

Isn't this gambling BILL akin to the thought police (aka BIG BROTHER). Telling ADULT Australians what they can and can't do with their own money... This is the hypocritical MP Xenophon, at his finest!

 

[jopaa]

Wow, thank you for your very detailed presentation and here is the email I have received:

"I am emailing you with regards to the AU update and what it means for us. As I’m sure you are aware, the bill has now passed in the senate for all online betting, poker and casino activity in AU. We should know from next week how long we will have as an Operator to pull out of the market completely. The final steps is for this to be signed in to law by the attorney general and this normally occurs on a Monday or Tuesday of the week. In normal circumstances companies will then be given 28-35 days to cease operations. This will mean that we will not be able to accept any AU traffic and will have to close all of the existing player accounts. For the time being, however, it is still business as normal in terms of accepting new registrations, as well as deposits etc. until the last possible moment. So do not pull us down immediately, but prepare for the alternatives.

If you would like to continue sending AU traffic to our brands, we will have a new Pay-to-Play casino by the end of March for you to direct your traffic to. The concept will be similar to that of ClickFun Casino where as a player you can deposit money and play all of the same games, but unable to withdraw winnings. As soon as we know more on the product and it’s format / details I will let you know."



If Buffalo does not accept AU traffic anymore means that all Microgaming casinos will follow soon. If Microgaming and all the other major software providers will ban Australian players I will lose about 30% of my traffic and if existing player accounts will be also closed, then I will also lose 30% of my total monthly commissions. Very bad

I only hope that some of the RTG operators will still accept AU traffic so I can send somewhere all my visitors.