The online casino Vera&John has withdrawn from the Australian market as the country is about to implement new online gambling restrictions.
The Malta-based site notified Australian players that their accounts would be closed.
“We’re always sorry to say goodbye, but the time has come,” the site said in an email. “Due to a business decision, Vera&John will no longer be able to offer its services in your jurisdiction. Your account will officially be closed in one week. As of today, you will no longer be able to make deposits to your Vera&John account. Any funds which have not already been removed from your account can still be transferred to your preferred payment provider within the next week.
Australia’s Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 closes a loop hole and bans in-play online betting as well as banning online games—such as poker and casino games—that have not been classified as legal in the country.
Other online companies are expected to follow Vera&John out of the market as the legislation takes effect.
In another matter involving Australian gambling, SBC News reported that the head of integrity for Cricket Australia confirmed that foreign bookmakers have approached some Australian players on social media, seeking information on squads and playing conditions.
“We’ve had a number of approaches made on social media to players already this season,” Iain Roy told the news service. “Twitter approaches asking for information about team selection, pitches and that sort of thing.”
Cricket Australia serves as a watch dog for Australian cricket gambling issues. Roy did not say how many players had been targeted, but said players have been briefed not to reply to suspicious online approaches and report the messages to the game’s governing body, SBC News reported.
