The former Dutch colony offers a favourable tax system to online businesses. Part of the patter involves spinning the slots and giving away the winnings to those watching. All of this is happening from the Shuffle office in Australia, where the service is supposed to be banned. “Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot accept players from Australia,” visitors are informed when trying to access the site from a blocked region. On a recent week, the jackpot was around $3.8 million — a sign of the casino’s growing popularity.
Tasmania Polling – Poker Machines, Donations
In some cases, players can even withdraw on the same day if pre-verification is completed. Australians own and operate three of the world’s largest crypto casinos — two of which have made their owners into billionaires, with Shuffle doing its best to make it three. The committee recommended blocking transactions to illegal gambling operators, and “stronger sanctions for companies and known individuals who profit from illegal gambling”.
Taxpayers would also contribute an extra $1.7 million to counter the costs of problem gambling. New research from The Australia Institute has revealed that four in five South Australians (80%) believe that allowing poker machines to accept notes will increase harm in the community. The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 604 South Australians about advertising at sporting events and in sporting broadcasts. kevindaviesphotography.com It also called for better collaboration with overseas regulators, especially in places like Curaçao where illegal sites proliferate. Yet another of the casino’s former partners was in close contact with Shuffle’s owners. In private messages seen by the ABC, she told co-founder Dummett all sorts of things about herself, including her location in Nebraska, while she was gambling on the platform and referring users to it.
You can complain to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) if you find believe an online website is offering illegal gambling services. Online casinos are banned in Australia due to concerns around losing your money and money laundering. Any online gambling in Australia must be licensed and registered which ensures that it is bound by Australian laws and protections. This also ensures that you have an avenue via Australian laws in the event of a dispute with the service provider.
Several online casinos registered in Curaçao have been issued warnings by Australia’s media regulator, ACMA, for illegally targeting Australians. The affiliate relationships offered by online casinos — and the promotion of gambling they represent — have created a “paradigm shift” in live streaming culture, he said. Under section 15 of the Act it is an offence for a person to intentionally provide a prohibited interactive gambling service with an Australian-customer link. This offence carries a maximum penalty of 5000 penalty units, applicable each day the unlawful service is provided. State and territory laws complement the federal framework by regulating authorised online gambling services within their jurisdictions.
Total gambling expenditure (nominal value) by state and territory, 1975–76 to 2023–24
Prohibited ‘interactive gambling services’ include a wide range of gambling activities facilitated by digital platforms, including online casinos, online poker, and live sports betting. Generally, any interactive game provided online for some financial benefit is likely to fit within the federal prohibition. For Australian players looking to enjoy online casino games without frustrating delays, fast Know Your Customer (KYC) verification is now a critical factor when choosing where to play. KYC is a legal requirement across licensed platforms and is used to verify player identity, age, and the legitimacy of payment methods. While it’s essential for responsible gambling and anti-fraud protection, slow KYC processes can lead to long waits, frozen accounts, or delayed withdrawals. Many forms of online gambling services are outlawed federally in Australia under section 5 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) (‘IGA’).
There is no suggestion that Shuffle knew about this affiliate’s alleged criminality while he was partnered with the casino. Many players around the world have found ways around Shuffle’s processes for checking identities and locations. On the live stream, Haque interacts with viewers in the chat room, wiling away the time until the lottery is to be drawn. Many streamers demonstrate signs of disordered thinking around gambling, says Dr Johnson, as do the viewers commenting in their live chatrooms. And yet key executives at Shuffle are gambling on the company’s own live broadcasts, plainly located in Australia as they do so. This table provides a time series of total gambling turnover by state and territory.
Protest and Public Assembly
- Before his alleged crimes came to light, he was a well-known Shuffle affiliate who often exchanged friendly banter with Shuffle’s staff on social media, including co-founder Noah Dummett.
- Taxpayers would also contribute an extra $1.7 million to counter the costs of problem gambling.
- Overseas-based online casinos that target Australian residents are explicitly prohibited under the IGA, with significant civil penalties attached.
- Since 2020, businesses in Curaçao pay no tax on income derived from overseas customers — for an online casino, that is almost all of it.
- The VGCCC has released its Annual Plan for 2025–26, setting a bold agenda to protect Victorians from gambling harm, strengthen industry accountability and build public trust.
People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active. But the ethics, economics, and fairness of gambling taxes are becoming a critical issue as ‘the global economy’ challenges the sovereignty of governments. The ever-narrowing range of revenue options has left state governments with little choice but to conform with nearby jurisdictions pursuing expansionary gambling policies. The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Australians about whether advertising of certain controversial products should be permitted on television.
One of the standout platforms in this space is Crownplay4, which has gained popularity among Aussie players for its lightning-fast KYC process combined with a strong real money game selection and user-friendly interface. The three streamers who were invited to Melbourne for Shuffle’s fake prison game show were all based in the US, where online “crypto casinos” are also banned. Mark R Johnson, a gaming culture researcher at the University of Sydney, has watched dozens of hours of gambling live streams across various online casinos. With the right preparation and by choosing platforms like Crownplay4, you can eliminate unnecessary delays and enjoy the full online casino experience — with your identity and funds protected at all times.
