GTA Online has blocked players in Australia from gambling at the in-game casino in compliance with local laws.
Rockstar Games has removed the gambling feature (via Agitated_Boot7803 on Reddit and J00B on GTAForums) at the Diamond Casino in GTA Online for players in Australia. It turns out that this restriction has been applied by the developer in order to comply with a new government law in the country.
As a result of the aforementioned restriction, GTA Online players in Australia will no longer be able to interact with the Lucky Wheel nor will they be able to play any gambling game at the Diamond Casino. The restriction also applies to the private table at a player’s Penthouse.
GTA Online players in Australia will still be able to buy and sell casino chips, and they can also collect their 1000 free daily chips. Outside of these activities, all gambling games are now off-limits for local players.
The restriction comes as rather odd, since trading casino chips is still allowed, while obtaining a free prize via the Lucky Wheel, which doesn’t involve any sort of betting, has been blocked.
Those who are unhappy with this decision will need to raise the matter with the Australian government rather than Rockstar Games, as the latter has no say in it. Opting to not restrict access to gambling activities would have led to a complete ban on GTA Online in the country.
Earlier this month, Rockstar Games released the GTA Online Kortz Center Heist, introducing a major new robbery centred around Los Santos’ prestigious art museum. The update brought a new heist, Mansion upgrades, vehicles, gameplay improvements and expanded Creator tools. The new heist sends players to the Kortz Center, home to a valuable collection of artwork and rare artefacts. Working with professional hustler Raf De Angelis, players must plan and execute a break-in while dealing with security guards, CCTV systems and laser tripwires.
