New South Wales is well-known for its long history of Poker and gambling . Australia's first official horse racing meeting took place in 1810 in Hyde Park, Sydney, and the first official Australian lottery occurred in 1881 at the Sydney Cup. In addition, New South Wales registered clubs operated the first legal poker machines in Australia in 1956. Therefore, it's not surprising that nowadays, as many as 100,000 'pokies' are spread throughout NSW, and globally speaking, only the American state of Nevada operates more gambling machines.

If you are a resident of NSW looking for online poker action, this is the right place for you. We prepared essential information about the top online poker rooms within New South Wales in Australia. Through these recommendations, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some of the most significant cash games and online poker tournaments around today.

The Best NSW Online Poker Sites

Many online poker platforms cater to New South Wales, but not all can be considered excellent. Our goal is to separate the good from the bad and give you the necessary details of the very best poker sites. You can read more about the selected poker rooms through our dedicated reviews and learn more about their built-in features, what they provide, and many more essential details . Find out the top three online poker sites for NSW residents , reviewed by Professional Rakeback experts below.

Ignition Poker

It's true to say that Ignition Casino launched its online poker room in 2016, but this is not a new platform. Far from it. Ignition acquired the poker platform from the Bovada brand. When the latter decided it had much more interest in focusing on sports and casino gambling options, Ignition chose to continue hosting online poker. Therefore, Ignition became an online casino and poker room as a result. In doing so, U.S. players continued to have somewhere to play their favourite poker games, and at the same time, so did Aussie players.

It still provides poker through the PaiWangLuo Network, which is one of the very best when it comes to traffic levels. As a result, you can often find masses of people enjoying what the Ignition Poker site has to offer. At the same time, it provides a beautiful selection of poker games and tournaments while offering both newcomers and ongoing players excellent promotions. Something else that stands out about this site is that it also accepts cryptocurrencies as a preferred payment method. Therefore, you can experience fast deposits and withdrawals whenever you play there.

Americas Cardroom

Yes, Aussie players can play at an online site that goes by the name of Americas Cardroom. This platform supports registrations from a vast number of countries around the world. And this is just one of the many reasons it can be considered a fantastic option to choose. It is also the flagship poker room to be utilizing the Winning Poker Network. A massive first deposit bonus is also on hand, which stands at up to $2,000. Americas Cardroom is also excellent when it comes to the tournaments that it provides, with millions guaranteed in winnings every single month.

At the same time, it is one of the longest-running online poker rooms, having been in operation since 2001. The games you will find in the poker lobby include Texas Hold 'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Sit 'n' Goes, Multi-Table Tournaments, Blitz, 7 Card Stud, and others. And when you also consider that there is a special rakeback reward of 27%, there is plenty to look forward to when joining this poker room. Plus, you can play the games wherever you are, considering it is accessible via smartphones and tablets.

Juicy Stakes

Back in 2009, Juicy Stakes was quite the relatively unknown platform while on the Cake Poker Network. That lasted for a couple of years before the impact of Black Friday in the United States caused a bit of chaos. Juicy Stakes was one of the sites that remained in place while many others left the market, though, and in the process, it moved to the Revolution Gaming Network. The site also continued accepting players from Australia, including New South Wales. While initially only offering a download client for its poker services, the platform now also provides an instant play version for you to enjoy as an alternative.

It also has an inviting casino section for you to get involved in, which incorporates over 350 casino games for you to enjoy. But turning our attention back to the poker side of things, Juicy Stakes has a welcome bonus of up to $1,000 for you to experience. That is released to you in $10 increments as you continue playing games there. You do have a 90-day period in which to clear that bonus, though. And with various other rewards and perks to benefit from at the poker room, you won't want to miss out on the Juicy Stakes platform.

Quick Facts About New South Wales Poker

• Population: 8.2 million
• Legal Age for Gambling: 18
• Gambling Tax: 10%
• Number of Land-Based Casinos: 13
• Regulated By: Liquor and Gaming NSW
• Most Popular Casino Games: Pokies

Playing Online Poker in New South Wales – Is It Legal?

A significant number of poker players reside in NSW, which creates a great demand for both online poker and land-based casino poker action. The law does not deny players the opportunity to play the game in an online environment. It does, however, focus on any Aussie operators trying to provide such a service to residents. However, players are not restricted from going online and finding a licensed offshore poker room to join.

The Interactive Gambling Act of Australia was introduced in 2001 and amended in 2017 to tighten the legislation up. It was this that led to a significant exodus of brands from its shores. But, of course, foreign-based companies cannot be governed by Aussie law, so they can readily accept registrations from players based in New South Wales and other states. So, with operators in Australia being the only ones affected by the country's laws, players can readily enjoy poker as they please.

The New South Wales Biggest Cities Enjoy Online Poker!

The three largest cities in NSW are Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong. They are situated near the centre of a narrow coastal strip, slowly extending from cool areas on the south coast to subtropical areas towards the border of Queensland.

Sydney

The world's largest natural harbour was surrounded by the capital city of Sydney, which is the world-renown for the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a lot of heritage-related buildings, natural wonders, and various artefacts. Sydney is a magnet for thousands of passionate poker players, and it offers incredible gambling facilities for continuous entertainment. After thoroughly researching many of Sydney's online poker options, our experts carefully selected the best ones for you. You will find more details at the top online poker platforms for Sydney-based players . However, if you feel like visiting a real brick-and-mortar casino in Sydney, there are also a few excellent choices.

Newcastle

Newcastle is not far away from Sydney, and the city is famous for its vibrant architectural heritage. It is dotted with lovely restaurants, bars and cafes, world-class beaches, and other superb entertainment facilities as a regional center. The city offers great fun for both tourists and residents. Online poker is prevalent throughout NSW, and Newcastle is not an exception. A considerable number of online poker players enjoy their favourite game daily. That's why we searched and found the best online poker sites for Newcastle's residents . All essential information about online gambling and land-based casinos is grouped in our report for your convenience.

Wollongong

The city fondly known as 'The Gong' is very close to Sydney, as little as 70 km away. Like many other coastal cities, it is a proper tourist hot spot. It offers vibrant outdoor life and is a city full of creativity and diverse communities: Wollongong's Art Gallery, Project Contemporary ArtSpace, libraries, cinemas, or even local circuses. Poker is also popular in Wollongong. So, if you need more information about Wollongong online poker scene, follow our detailed guide.

What Are the Greatest Land-Based Casinos in NSW, Australia?

There are 13 land-based casinos within New South Wales, and some of them are considered better than others, especially if you're a poker player. Fortunately, we can recommend a couple of them here, which we have determined to be the greatest within the state.

The Star

Located in Sydney, The Star is one of the most popular casinos within New South Wales. This one stands out perfectly amongst the others because it has quite the legendary poker room for you to visit. And further to this, the casino has become one of the ideal venues for hosting poker tournaments.

• Address: 80 Pyrmont Street
  Pyrmont
  NSW 2009
• Contact Info: 02 9777 9000
• Working Hours: 24/7
• Casino Games: Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Dice Games
• Tournaments: Sydney Champs Tournament
• Official Website: The Star

The Crown Sydney

For something a little more exclusive (with invitation-only entry), The Crown Sydney offers quite the VIP world to step into. Located in Barangaroo and developed by the well-known Crown Resorts, it also has a hotel and residential apartments. It is the tallest building in Sydney, standing at 271.3 metres, and completed in December 2020.

• Address: 1 Barangaroo Avenue,
  Barangaroo,
  New South Wales 2000,
  Australia
• Contact Info: 02 8871 7188
• Working Hours: 24/7
• Casino Games: Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Dice Games, Pokies
• Tournaments: Weekly Tournaments
• Official Website: Crown Sydney

New South Wales Poker FAQ

Can I play online poker in NSW at all times? Yes, all of the recommended online poker rooms provide their services on a 24/7 basis. Do I have to pay anything to sign up to an online poker room? No, registration is 100% free. The only time you need to use money is when you are depositing it into your account. How old should I be to join and deposit at an online poker platform in NSW? The minimum gambling age across Australia is 18, making this the minimum for online poker gameplay, too.

New South Wales Problem Gambling Information

Back in 2019, a study was done on problem gambling in the State of New South Wales . It was estimated from the results that about 1% of the adult population within were classified as problem gamblers. A further 7.2% of people within the state were considered at moderate risk of gambling addiction.

Those figures came after introducing the amendments to the country's Interactive Gambling Act, which were meant to strengthen the restrictions within. Today, if you or someone you know in New South Wales is suffering from gambling addiction, the following organisations can be contacted:

• GambleAware NSW
• The Cabin in Sydney
• Lifeline

Conclusion

Playing poker online from New South Wales is both legal and not so complicated. Everything is the same as if you were playing it in a land-based venue, except you're doing it through an internet connection. We have listed the best online poker rooms for New South Wales poker players here, and they are all trusted, secure, and provide superb service. So, please go through our selected websites and, based on your preferences, pick a favourite choice and enjoy your games. And don't forget, enjoy the game but always play responsibly!