Interactive Gambling Amendment (Banning Social Casinos and Other Measures) 2020

# Interactive Gambling Amendment (Banning Social Casinos and Other Measures) 2020 ## What it does This law bans "social casinos" — online games where you play casino-style games (like slots or poker) using fake money, but you have to pay real money to play. It makes it illegal for companies to offer these services to Australian customers, whether the company is based here or overseas. ## Why it matters Social casinos are often marketed as "free-to-play" games but are essentially gambling. They're designed to look harmless because you're using virtual currency, but the real-money entry fee and addictive game design can hook players — particularly young people — into spending significant amounts. This law closes a loophole that's let these games operate without the same restrictions as traditional online gambling. ## Key details - **The penalty:** Companies that break the ban face fines of up to 5,000 penalty units (currently around $1.05 million), plus an additional 5,000 units for each day they continue the breach. Civil penalties add another 7,500 units. - **It covers any game** where you pay money to play a game of chance or mixed chance/skill on an interactive platform using virtual currency — so it's broad enough to catch new variations as they emerge. - **It kicks in immediately** — the law takes effect the day after it receives royal assent, with no delayed implementation period.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament