Australia

One of the most famous names in Australian poker is Joe Hachem, in fact, many people really think Hachem brought poker to the entire country, and that there really was no Aussie poker seen until we heard his fans yelling “Aussie Aussie Aussie” as he won the WSOP Main Event in 2005.Well, that’s a myth. Australia has been producing top level poker players for decades and there are several household names many people don’t realize are native to Australia like Billy Argyros, Mark Vos or Marsha Waggoner.Let’s talk about another myth as well; Many Australians are under the impression that recent legislation has made it a crime to play online poker in Australia. However, the changes in online poker laws that took place in Australia only affect the online casinos and poker sites themselves, not the players.According to our amateur interpretation of the law, it’s illegal to operate an online poker site inside Australia; there is however, as far as we, or a number of legal experts online have been able to see, no prohibition against playing for cash at online poker sites operating outside Australia’s borders. In fact, many Australian players can be found around virtual tables at sites like:

Casino based Poker in Australia

Australia also boasts a number of world class brick and mortar casinos. Casino Canberra, Sky City Adelaide, The Reef Hotel Casino and Burswood International Resort & Casino are popular vacation attractions with poker rooms that impress tourists and keep the locals entertained.The Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne is probably the most well-known of Australia’s gaming destinations. The Crown hosts the “Aussie Millions Poker Championship“, an annual poker tournament that is televised worldwide.This prestigious tournament has been a staple of Australian poker since 1998 and consistently attracts the biggest names in poker from all around the globe.There are also numerous poker rooms throughout the country where Australians meet and play regularly. The National Poker League is popular in eastern Australia and sponsors weekly events and regular tournaments. The NPL culminates in December with the NPL Million, a three day event with a prize pool of $1,000,000. Players can win a seat by playing in special qualifying events held throughout the year.Australians on the other side of the country are just as passionate about their poker and get plenty of tournament seasoning by participating in the Western Australian Poker League. The WAPL sponsors weekly tournaments throughout the year. The WAPL wraps up the season with the $200 Grand Final. Players must qualify for this prestigious tournament. There are several ways to earn a seat, all them are based on league play and WAPL tournament rankings.

Famous Aussie Poker Players

Joe Hachem may be the most widely recognized poker pro associated with Australian today but, he is definitely not the only top tier player Australia has produced.Tony G, Mel Judah and Jeff Lisandro are all popular personalities on World Poker Tour broadcasts and all of them cut their poker teeth down under. With so much support online and in brick and mortar casinos, Australia will be adding many more faces such as former cricketer Shane Warne who is regularly seen on poker’s world stage.

Australian Poker Deposit Options

One advantage the above poker sites offer Australian players is the ability to deposit money in AUD without paying any currency conversion fees. While players can use credit cards to fund their poker account, e-wallets are the most popular way for Australians to keep their online bankroll flush. NETeller, Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) and PayPal are e-wallet merchants with strong reputations.