No email from 888 either. Can still log into my account outside of Australia.

Thanks for your hard work mate you're a true legend. Have donated as well. Please dont hesitate to ask us for more help.

If anyone is still yet to sign both of these, please do so.

But even that is not enough, you need to share these links on social media.

I've posted them on Facebook - and written up some honest and heartfelt stuff alongside. Exposing a sometimes "taboo" hobby to friends, family and even co-workers who are on my Facebook.

If you really care about this. You need to do EVERYTHING you can.

Not only have I signed both and sent in a personal letter earlier on when they were accepting the submissions, but by sharing on social media, targetting specific friends and family and writing something along side, not just hitting "share" - I've managed to get another 5-10 people to sign up as well, people that aren't even poker players.


Also - to those reading who aren't in Australia - remember, every time another country drops out of the shared player-pool, everyone loses. Not just Australians.

https://www.change.org/p/keep-online-poker-in-australia

http://www.taxpayers.org.au/keep_online_poker_legal

Does anyone know if there are current laws that stop a territory or state from just regulating online poker?

NT has self regulations already for online bookmakers, im sure they could do the same for online poker and casinos.

If it's banned at the federal level, it's hard to believe it will be ok at a state level. Even if it is, I think we need the federal government to allow overseas pools.

Wishing you guys and gals across the pond all the best in regards to this. Assume 888 traffic will be down a bit today. Well done to Swoop, joey et al on the fine work you are doing.

I still haven't received any emails from 888. I'd withdrawn my balance already but had about $6 of bonus left to clear. Just tried sitting at a SNAP table and I can still sit down and play fine. Could be because I've been overseas for a while and still am, but my account is Australian and so I would expect to be excluded. Confusing. I'll find out what happens if I try to log in while I'm in Melbourne next week.

from this article http://somuchpoker.com/888poker-exit...ralian-market/

"In the proposed bill, both the player and the operator will be penalized if caught engaging in online gaming."

I didn't note any changes to the bill which would mean the player would get penalised. Have I missed something?

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2017/...enia-26793.htm

they also say "unlike gaming regimes in other countries, individuals can also face heavy punishment if the bill is passed, with fines up to A$1.35 million ($1.01 million) per day."

I don't think that's true either...

Yeah from what I've seen that's not true at all. Individuals helping/working with the operator to provide their service can be fined but as far as I can tell players can't

Yes I believe that is a misunderstanding of the bill and bazooka is right; I've seen this mistake elsewhere. It mentions "the individual" but this refers to an employee of an operator, not a player.

Off topic: if the ban goes through are we still able to play on bitcoin sites such as ACR?

My guess is yes. Those that continue to operate in e.g. the United States from offshore shouldn't have any issue doing the same in Australia.

There's nothing in the new amendment that is really prohibitive to offshore: They don't hold licenses in places like the UK so there's no jeopardy there; they don't get to travel to Australia (boo hoo i'm sure they're happy in the Carib); and there doesn't seem much teeth to curtailing either access (IP blocking/blacklisting etc; which doesn't work even when a country is proactive in it, like russia) or payment processing.

Done petition and letter and shared. Lets hope the overlords wake up to themselves. Not real optimistic tho...

Hey guys,

Hope you are all well.

Bit of an update with this.

Activism

We have had some good track through with our contact MP form. We are getting closer to having 1000 people email their MP but we still need much more than that.

So if you haven't yet please go to this site and leave your details - literally takes less than 1 minute - http://www.taxpayers.org.au/keep_online_poker_legal

Politics

We have some meetings booked in over the next couple of weeks. I am still trying to organise a few more.

I am trying to get a meeting with the Minister. I have contacted his office asking for a meeting as has my local MP on my behalf. We haven't heard anything concrete yet but this is not unusual and isn't concerning. If we haven't heard back in a week then I will be looking at upping the ante and using social media to request a meeting on behalf of poker players.

All in all the MPs I (or others) have spoken to have given me the impression that they don't think our request is unreasonable which is great. I am hoping that the more positive letters that we get from MPs to the Minister the more likely we can get his attention and hopefully get the change we need.

Awareness

I have had some chats with a few bigger name poker players and some sport and media types who have shown interest in supporting our cause to raise awareness. I am hoping to hold a fundraising/awareness tournament and have spoken to the Star as well as a major pub poker operator about doing this with us. Nothing concrete yet but I will let you know how that goes.

We have also provided some quotes to some mainstream newspapers which will be good if that gets published (hopefully this week but who knows).

I also had a chat with the journalist at Pokernews who was covering this and am going to organise to work with him on an article on Pokernews to help raise more awareness about our campaign.

Action

Can I ask you guys if you have received a response from your MP that you post it here?

Also if you haven't received a response let us know too. It will be good to keep track of who is answering and who isn't for later reference.

Obviously if you haven't contacted yet. Hit the link above and do it. We need a lot more people. Please get your friends and relatives to contact as well. Literally anyone that is on the electoral roll can get in touch. There is no such thing as too many people contacting.

Obviously nobody is obliged to but If you want to keep contributing $ please send to 'JosephDel' on Pokerstars. I have three adds running on FB and Instagram atm (you hopefully have seen these). They are going quite well so I would like to keep this going. I also have some trips to Adelaide and Canberra coming up for politician meetings that I need to fund. Happy to cover these myself if I have to as they were my idea to go. In saying that any help is appreciated.

I think that sums up most things. I will keep plugging away from here.

Thanks for your help and support guys.

JoeyDel
facebook.com/AustralianOnlinePokerAlliance
@AustOnlinePoker

So good joey! Will send some more money today.
One suggestion, is there a twitter hashtag we can use so we can identify and retweet each other's tweets?
Any ideas? #savepoker? #saveonlinepoker? #righttochoose? #savegamesofskill? #banpokiessavepoker

just taking a stab in the dark here but maybe people that play or organize NPL or whatever the pub scene events are called can get some people on board if you make up a information sheet for them to look at.

The Americans use #fight4poker which has been suggested we use here. Has merit as it might lead to more retweets from people who check that.

Happy with whatever everyone likes though.

Good idea. I am talking to people like this on a few other things. I might knock up a one pager and send it over to.

I was notified about a week ago, but I have $20 in my account and I can't withdraw because the minimum withdraw via bank wire is $25usd. 888 is a joke.

FWIW 888 paid out my meagre balance (USD $170) within about 2 working days, had no problems at all. Would be frustrating to be stuck with $20 on there but way better than a Full Tilt situation.

Have you tried contacting them direct, see if they can assist given they're withdrawing from the market? Are you able to say put $10 on there via some low-cost method and then withdraw it all?

Have been encouraging players at crown to contact their mp.

Hi James,

you need to email support@888poker.com and they will do a manual wire transfer for you.

Regards,

Chris

It's very strange considering they have invested quite a lot into Australia through promotion, it seemed to be a good part of their market.

Maybe they announced it now because the Aussie Millions is on so there would be a bit of talk about it.....and hopefully amongst poker people with some voice.

I've signed the petitions

Also written to my local MP and Nick Xenephon (Anti gambling) and Jackie Lambie (A Senator who could make amendments to the bill)?