New online poker sites for Australians after ‘Stars withdrawal
Australians looking for online poker have limited options now that the Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2016 has been enforced.
In the wake of the gambling reforms Down Under, operators like PokerStars and 888 Poker have had no choice but to leave or risk their licenses in countries where online poker is legal.
But some operators are remaining in the market, and others have even entered it including Ignition Poker and Mac and PCs. While it doesn’t feature the unique mixed games, it does offer a range of Texas Hold’em and Omaha cash games and tournaments. It looks similar to a standard online poker room, with a list of the games and tournaments on offer displayed neatly in the window, along with the available tables and the betting variations.
Ignition Poker offers a range of cash games starting at $0.02/$0.05 per hand, with heads-up, 6-max and 9-handed games available.
There is also a fast-fold variant for those who enjoyed Zoom Poker at PokerStars. Known as Zone Poker, players can join the fast-paced game for $0.02 per hand. When you join a table, you are given 15 seconds to act on a hand. If you fold in advance you are given a new table and new hand.
When it comes to tournaments, you will find weekly competitions including the Sunday (Monday for Aussies) $100,000 Guaranteed Poker tournament. Players who take out first place, are guaranteed at least $17,000. There are cheap seats available, or you can qualify via tournaments.
There’s also a $1000 match deposit you can claim as a new poker player. It automatically unlocks when you download the software, deposit and start playing real money poker games. You will find that the bonus is released in increments as you play the games. Read the terms and conditions before you get stuck in so you don’t accidentally void the offer.
Or you can opt in for the bitcoin bonus which is ideal for Australians who want to maintain their anonymity given the regulatory changes. Bitcoin, for those who don’t know, is a cryptocurrency which allows you to make deposits and withdrawals anonymously. If you deposit with bitcoin at Ignition, you can claim the $2000 match deposit bonus. You can also use bitcoin for free withdrawals – other methods incur a $75 fee.
Ignition has a detailed guide on how to get bitcoin and how to deposit and withdraw with it on their homepage, along with their casino offerings, which include blackjack, roulette, pokies, and more.
Intertops Poker
Intertops has been around since 1996 and even has ties to partypoker, which is no longer available to Australians. Intertops operates on the Horizon Poker Network (formerly the Revolution Network) and players can download the software and claim the 200% welcome bonus of up to $1000.
The site offers cash games in all Texas Hold’em and Omaha formats, with stakes starting at $0.02/$0.04. There’s also Sit & Go tournaments including HU, 4-Max, 6-Max, 9-Handed and 10-Handed formats.
There’s even a tournament known as the Aussie Tournament which celebrates Australians and runs over two weekends. The first weekend kicks off on Saturday, September 16 at 4:30 pm AEST, featuring a $5+0.5 buy in for $500 guaranteed. Then on Sunday, September 17 at 4:30pm AEST, you can enter the $1000 guaranteed tournament for a $10 buy-in. Both events are held again on Saturday, September 23 at 4:30pm AEST and then September 24 at 4:30pm AEST. Visit the promotions page for more information.
It is important to note when you first sign up to Intertops you are limited to $20. You can get around this by sending customer help an email. Find out more by reading our review.
While the Australian government has limited Australian’s options, it hasn’t wiped them out completely. Additionally, there has been some positive news today with reports the government is considering a regulated online poker industry.