Australia's Federal Court has ordered more than AU$24m in penalties against the operators and promoters of three prohibited online poker services, marking one of the country's largest enforcement outcomes against illegal online gambling.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said the Court imposed penalties totalling AU$24.24m on Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd, Rhys Edward Jones and Brenton Lee Buttigieg for their roles in operating online poker services under the names PPPfish, Shuffle Gaming and Redraw Poker.
Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd received the largest penalty of AU$15m, while Jones was fined AU$9m. Buttigieg was ordered to pay AU$240,000 after admitting to aiding and abetting the provision of prohibited gambling services.
The penalties follow Federal Court findings in November 2025 that Brisbane Poker and Jones had contravened Section 15(2A) of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 by providing prohibited interactive gambling services to Australians. The proceedings were originally commenced by the ACMA in April 2022 after an investigation into the online poker platforms.
According to the Court, the services enabled members of the public to play poker against one another using virtual chips that could be bought and sold for real money, bringing the operations within the scope of Australia's gambling laws.
In addition to the financial penalties, the Court issued five-year restraining orders preventing Jones from providing prohibited interactive gambling services and prohibiting Buttigieg from assisting or facilitating such activities. Jones and Brisbane Poker were also ordered to pay the ACMA's legal costs.
ACMA Chair Nerida O'Loughlin described the outcome as a strong warning to operators targeting Australian consumers.
She said the decision reinforced that offering online poker services to Australians is unlawful and carries serious legal consequences. The regulator added that it would continue pursuing enforcement action against illegal gambling providers that expose Australian consumers to harm.
The latest ruling brings the total penalties arising from the ACMA's proceedings to AU$29.24m, including an earlier AU$5m penalty imposed in 2023
