ACMA hands out record $24m illegal poker penalty

• ACMA secures $24.24 million in Federal Court penalties against Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd, Rhys Edward Jones and Brenton Lee Buttigieg.
• The prohibited poker service traded under three names: PPPfish, Shuffle Gaming and Redraw Poker.
• Total penalties across the case now reach $29.24 million, including a prior $5 million order against Diverse Link Pty Ltd.

The Federal Court of Australia has ordered AU$24.24 million in penalties against the operators and promoters of a prohibited online poker service, in one of the largest enforcement outcomes secured by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to date.

Same scheme, new names

The service began operating under the name PPPfish before rebranding twice, first to Shuffle Gaming and then to Redraw Poker. It let Australian players buy virtual poker chips through separate websites, using bank transfer or bitcoin, which were then credited to their accounts and could later be redeemed for cash.

ACMA first brought the case to the Federal Court in April 2022, following an investigation into how the platforms operated.

In November 2025, the court found that Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd and Jones had contravened section 15(2A) of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) by providing a prohibited interactive gambling service.

Court orders steep fines

The court’s latest orders split the $24.24 million penalty three ways. Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd was fined $15 million, its director Rhys Edward Jones was ordered to pay $9 million, and Brenton Lee Buttigieg, who admitted to aiding and abetting the contravention, was fined $240,000.

Jones and Brisbane Poker were also ordered to cover ACMA’s legal costs for the proceedings. The court additionally imposed five-year restraining orders, barring Jones from providing a prohibited interactive gambling service and barring Buttigieg from aiding or abetting one.

The latest penalties build on a $5 million order handed down against related company Diverse Link Pty Ltd in 2023, taking the combined total across the proceedings to $29.24 million.

Nerida O’Loughlin, ACMA Chair, said:

“This decision sends a clear warning that offering online poker to Australians is illegal and there are serious consequences for those who breach the law.”

“Illegal gambling services put Australians at risk, and the ACMA will continue to take action against those who target these services at Australian consumers.”

Regulator ups pressure

Online poker has been prohibited in Australia since the IGA took effect in 2001, with amendments in 2017 giving ACMA stronger civil penalty and site-blocking powers.

The regulator has used those powers heavily; it recently confirmed the blocking of MyStake as part of a broader sweep that has taken the number of blocked illegal gambling and affiliate websites well past 1,500, alongside hundreds of operators exiting the market voluntarily.

The case also lands against a backdrop of tightening scrutiny of Australia’s gambling sector more broadly, including sweeping gambling advertising restrictions announced earlier in 2026.

For offshore or unlicensed operators eyeing the Australian market, the ruling shows that ACMA is prepared to pursue individuals as well as companies, and that penalties can compound significantly once a case moves through multiple judgments.

With restraining orders now in place alongside the fines, the regulator has signaled it intends to keep pressure on repeat or rebranded offenders rather than treat a single penalty as the end of the matter.