Rockstar Blocks GTA Online Casino Gambling For Players In Australia
Players in Australia can no longer gamble inside the Diamond Casino in Grand Theft Auto Online, after Rockstar Games disabled the feature on July 28, 2026. Blackjack, roulette, slots, three card poker, the Inside Track horse betting screen and the free daily Lucky Wheel spin all stopped working for accounts based in the country.
What Has Changed
The block was first flagged by players and later confirmed by dataminers who track the game files. Rockstar has not published a statement explaining the move, and IGN said it had asked the studio for clarification. Australian accounts can still buy and sell casino chips, collect the 1,000 free daily chips and play story missions tied to the venue, so the change is limited to the betting games themselves.
Seven Years After Launch
The Diamond Casino and Resort was added to GTA Online on July 2019 and its betting games had run in Australia ever since. That makes the timing the puzzle: the feature operated for seven years before it was switched off. Reports from players also point to card games in Red Dead Online being pulled for Australian accounts at the same time, though Rockstar has not confirmed that either.
Where Australian Law Sits
Online casino gaming has been illegal in Australia for a quarter of a century under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The Diamond Casino is not a real-money product: players buy chips with in-game currency, and currency bought with real money cannot be converted into chips, nor can winnings be cashed out.
That distinction is why the games sat untouched for so long, and why the sudden reversal has drawn questions from the community. Anyone weighing up legal real-money play instead can compare licensed operators through our guide to betting sites in Australia.
The Regulatory Backdrop
Two recent shifts sit behind the speculation. In September 2024, Australia introduced minimum classification rules requiring video games with simulated gambling, such as slot machine or roulette simulators, to carry an R18+ rating. In March 2026 a new online safety code took effect, pushing companies toward age assurance measures for adult content. GTA V has held an R18+ rating in Australia since its 2013 release, so on paper the classification change alters nothing for the game, which is part of why the trigger for this specific block is unclear.
What To Watch
Australia now joins a list of roughly 50 markets where GTA Online casino betting is switched off, alongside countries including Portugal, Poland, Greece and South Korea. Whether the block is permanent, and whether Rockstar offers an explanation, are the open questions. For players the practical effect is narrow, but it is a reminder that even simulated casino content is being drawn into tighter classification and age-assurance rules. The full text of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 sets out the real-money restrictions that shape how these features operate.
