Rockstar Games has unexpectedly blocked in-game gambling features in Grand Theft Auto Online for players accessing the game from Australia. Australian players are no longer able to activate gambling mini-games inside the game's Diamond Casino.

Quick Facts

  • Affected features: Blackjack, slots, poker, roulette, Inside Track horse racing, and the free-to-spin lucky wheel.
  • Unaffected features: Casino missions and general casino functionality remain intact and playable.
  • Timeline context: The minigames had been operating in Australia for seven years, following the July 23, 2019 release of The Diamond Casino & Resort update.

What Changed in Australia

The sudden block leaves Australian players unable to interact with any betting activities inside the Diamond Casino. Prior to this week, the features had functioned normally since the casino's addition to GTA Online in July 2019.

The timing has drawn attention due to recent regulatory shifts in Australia. In March 2026, the country introduced a new online safety code requiring age verification mechanics for adult content. Furthermore, September 2024 brought new classification guidelines requiring video games containing simulated gambling, such as casino minigames, to carry an R18+ rating.

However, Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online have held an R18+ rating in Australia since the game's original release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013. Because the classification guidelines represented no net change in rating for the game on paper, it remains unclear what specifically triggered Rockstar to implement the block.

Global Context and Current Status

IGN has requested clarification from Rockstar regarding the sudden restriction. With this change, Australia joins a group of around 50 countries where GTA Online's casino betting minigames are non-functional, including Portugal, Poland, South Korea, China, and South Africa.

While online casino gaming for real money has been illegal in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 for over two decades, GTA Online uses in-game chips purchased with currency earned through gameplay. Although players can buy in-game currency with real money, purchased funds are treated as distinct and cannot be used for casino chips, and in-game winnings cannot be converted into real-world money.