Photo by Sebianoti on DevianArt, CC by-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
GTA blocks online casino gaming
GTA Online dataminer Tex2, who has the X (Twitter) profile @TexFunz2, posted a string of code that confirmed that Rockstar Games had blocked Australian customers from playing online casino games inside the server.
Diamond Casino allowed users to play blackjack, slot machines, poker, and roulette. It also had an Inside Track horse racing mode and a free-to-spin lucky wheel.
In-game missions involving the casino but that do not involve gambling are still available for players.
Australia has specific gambling-adjacent rules. Games with simulated gambling must be classified as R18+, meaning they cannot be legally bought, rented, or accessed by individuals who are not at least 18 years old.
However, GTA Online has always been classified as R18+.
GTA Online also does not allow customers to purchase or withdraw cash for funds used in-game at Diamond Casino. Players can wager Casino Chips with fictional GTA$, which is earned in-game, or by purchasing Shark Cash Cards with real money. No matter how GTA$ is accumulated, it cannot be withdrawn for real-world money.
Rockstar’s terms of service also do not allow players to gamble for real money or items in GTA Online.
Why was Diamond Casino restricted?
The GTA franchise — which gamifies a life of crime, drug sale and use, prostitution, and violence — has long been controversial. The first game was released in Nov. 1997, and the latest release of GTA V occurred in Sept. 2013.
While Australia has strict rules regarding gambling activities and depictions, GTA Online’s Diamond Casino does not appear to violate any national laws, making the reason for its sudden block unclear.
One possibility is that GTA Online’s XBOX IARC reclassification last week. The automated system did not label the game as “high impact gambling,” which would be required for Diamond Casino.
Another relates to Australia’s ongoing efforts to reform its gambling industry. The federal government introduced the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2026 on July 2 with an in-effect date of Jan. 1, 2027.
The bill details new rules for advertisements across radio, television, and online platforms, adding additional consumer protections, and new enforcement procedures against illegal operators.
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