Tasmania, located about 240 km away from the Australian mainland, is an island state of Australia. The state prides itself on the cleanest air in the world and the fantastic nature coupled with the vibrant history. It is pretty extraordinary that the state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding one thousand islands.

It is Australia’s least populated state, with only about a half million residents. For this reason, it is common for those who are aware of Tasmania not to associate it with Gambling in any way. However, Tasmanians do have a fondness and a sweet tooth for gambling. And online Poker is one of the favored types of game to play. Tasmania's gambling scene experienced pretty turbulent and controversial recent history. It was the first state to have legal casinos in Australia. It became a fundamentally political issue, and the government had to set up a referendum to settle the matter.

Historically, Tasmania played a very significant role in Australia related to gambling. It was the home of the first lottery through Tattersalls company. Also, both first and second legal casinos in the country were Wrest Point Casino and Country Club Casino. Finally, the first poker machines in a casino in Australia were installed in Tasmania.

In the book entitled ‘Losing Streak’ (2017), the Tasmanian author James Boyce concluded that the monopoly license granted to the Federal Hotels, owned by the Farrell family, to operate poker machines in Tasmania has been against the best interests of the Tasmania public. However, there is no monopoly whatsoever in online poker! You should be signed up to a secure, fair, licensed, and regulated online poker room for the best kind of experience. And all of the platforms that we recommend have been adequately verified as possessing all of these qualities and more. So, as a Tasmanian player, please take a look at what we suggest to you in the following lines.

Top-Quality Online Poker Rooms for Tasmanian Players

If you haven’t ever played online poker from within Tasmania, then you may be wondering what the best sites to do this at are. Well, this is why we are here - to effectively ensure that you have all of the knowledge that you need concerning this. Our expert team of poker players and reviewers has gone through all the sites accessible to gamers and found out which ones are the top-rated options. Check out the best online poker rooms for Tasmanian players below:

Ignition Poker

If you’re looking for an online poker room with a vast amount of traffic and varying degrees of playing experience, then Ignition Poker is the one for you. This versatile operator provides you with both a poker room and an online casino to enjoy. All popular poker variants can be found within the lobby, and there is a fantastic selection of cash games and tournaments that you have the chance to experience, too. Even though Ignition does have a prime focus on providing its services to the U.S. market, Aussie players are also very much welcome.

The welcome bonus that you can claim as a newcomer stands at up to $1,000. There is also a high-quality mobile app for you to make use of when you feel like it. In addition, ignition Poker supports cryptocurrency transactions alongside more traditional payment options, catering to a broad audience. So with an increased welcome bonus for crypto users of up to $1,500, you are free to use this to deposit and withdraw.

Juicy Stakes

If you’d prefer to play at a poker room with fewer players accessing it daily but that still feature competitive tournaments and excellent software, take a look at Juicy Stakes. The platform also provides massive bonuses to its users, including an intriguing welcome offer and ongoing rewards for regular gamers. A significant level of cash games and Sit ‘n’ Go tournaments can also be accessed. And don’t forget about the weekly freerolls that Juicy Stakes incorporates, either.

The poker room also has its own no deposit bonus of up to $100 for you to experience before making a deposit. Plus, a rewarding rakeback promotion is on hand for Tasmanian players to benefit from. After registering for an account, you can look forward to playing Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker, which exist as two of the most popular variants in the country. One or two different variants can also be found, though, such as Telesina and more.

Americas Cardroom

With a global audience frequently accessing this online poker room, you’d be a fool to miss out on it. Aussie players already enjoy its different options, including players based in Tasmania. Americas Cardroom utilizes the Winning Poker Network, which gives quite a positive impression of the platform. And once you access the games within the lobby, you’ll find that this is not an unfounded impression. A wide range of poker tournaments is also available to enter as registered users. Buy-ins and stakes are in place to suit both low-stakes and high-stakes players, meaning that you’ll always have something to be entertained.

A fantastic VIP program is also readily available at the Americas Cardroom platform, rewarding you as you continue playing the games. A selection of Aussie-friendly payment methods are also on hand, so you can always deposit and withdraw via well-known options. Even cryptocurrencies are supported at Americas Cardroom. And if you ever want to play the site’s poker games and participate in tournaments while out of the house, you can easily access it on your mobile device.

Quick Facts About Poker in Tasmania

• Population: 541,965
• Legal Age for Gambling: 18
• Gambling Tax: 15%
• Number of Land-Based Casinos: 4
• Regulated By: Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission
• Most Popular Casino Games: Roulette, Blackjack, Poker

What is the Legal Status of Online Poker in Tasmania?

Australia allows each of its states to introduce its laws and rules, which may differ from the federal laws in the country. This logic does not apply to any legislation surrounding gambling, though. So, generally speaking, across Australia, the rules and regulations in place remain the same. Because of this, many forms of gambling have been restricted, especially in an online scenario. And it is this that players will have to circumnavigate.

The introduction of 2001’s Interactive Gambling Act placed an extensive restriction on Aussie companies to provide online gambling activities. That is unless they possessed a difficult-to-obtain official license. Further amendments to this act in 2017 made it even harder for such operations to occur, meaning that people have had to turn to offshore operations instead. These foreign-based gambling sites are outside of Australian law and so are not deemed legal or illegal.

Since Tasmania became the first state in Australia to open a casino in 1973, it became a place where the gambling lobby’s influence on Australian politics is the strongest. It is even claimed that the gambling industry writes the rules and sways Tasmania’s elections.

If you would like to get involved in online poker from within Tasmania, you can do so without any threat of repercussions. Just be aware that it is always safer to join a licensed and regulated site. All of the top-quality sites that we have recommended to you fall into this category. Some of the best online poker rooms even allow you to deposit and play in AUD, and Aussie-friendly payment methods exist at them, too.

Tasmania’s Best Land-Based Casinos

If you reside in Tasmania or want to visit the state, four land-based casinos are available.

Here is a list of all Tasmania’s casinos:

• Wrest Point
• Country Club Tasmania
• Luzbet Park Elwick Racecourse
• Longford Racecourse

In the end, it is up to you which, if any, of these casinos you want to visit. However, we can suggest the very best casino to go to if you enjoy playing poker.

Wrest Point Hotel Casino

Wrest Point Hotel Casino is the best and most popular land-based casino in Tasmania. Located in the city of Hobart, it has a highly luxurious hotel to stay in, and the casino incorporates all of the top-rated games, like pokies, baccarat, blackjack, and so on.

• Address: 410 Sandy Bay Road,
  Hobart
  Tasmania 7005
  Australia
• Contact Info: 61 3 6221 1888
• Working Hours: 24/7
• Casino Games: Pokies, Blackjack, Pokies, Sports Betting, Roulette, Texas Hold’em, Pontoon
• Tournaments: Weekly Tournaments every Tuesday Night
• Official Website: Wrest Point Hotel Casino Table Games

Tasmania Web Poker FAQ

Does Tasmania Have a Problem Gambling Issue?

Tasmanian Social and Economic Impact Studies (SEIS) have revealed that about 2% of the adult population residing in the state has serious gambling issues. These are labeled as either serious or moderate risks by the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. Since those figures were revealed, further information has come to light that gambling within Tasmania has been declining as of July 2021.

Still, gambling addiction remains a serious issue. If you find that you’re suffering from such or someone you know has problems with it, then you can seek help through the following organizations:

• Gambling Help Tasmania
• Relationships Australia

Summary

Although Tasmania is quite a small Australian state, many people still enjoy playing poker and other online gambling games. Admittedly, it doesn’t have an exceptionally bustling poker scene compared with other Aussie states; however, there is plenty for you to experience as a resident. All you need to do is locate a fully licensed and regulated offshore poker room to ensure you have the best gaming experience.