GTA Online casino gambling blocked for Australian players

Players of the online video game Grand Theft Auto Online in Australia have been blocked from accessing all gambling features within the game's virtual casino. The change, which took effect on July 28, 2026, prevents Australian accounts from playing blackjack, roulette, poker, slot machines, a horse racing minigame, and even the free daily Lucky Wheel at the Diamond Casino & Resort.

When players attempt to use these features, they are met with an on-screen notification stating, "this feature is not available for you." Analysis of the game's code by a known dataminer confirms that Rockstar Games, the developer, has implemented a territory-based restriction specifically targeting Australian users. Players can still enter the casino to exchange chips for in-game currency and collect a daily bonus, but the core gambling activities are now inaccessible.

The sudden restriction is widely linked to new online safety and age assurance laws introduced by the Australian government in March 2026. These regulations aim to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate content by mandating stricter age verification. While Grand Theft Auto Online has always carried an R18+ classification in...