In Australia, GTA Online has disabled all gambling-related activities: blackjack, roulette, three-card poker, slot machines, Inside Track horse racing, and the Lucky Wheel. Players can still enter the casino, explore the interior, buy chips, and complete the casino storyline—but actually sitting down at a table and gambling is no longer possible.
The result is something halfway between a museum and a party you were invited to but aren’t allowed to fully enjoy.
Who Actually Owns This Casino?
Despite what some players might assume, The Diamond Casino & Resort is not tied to any real-world gambling brand. It is a fictional location created by Rockstar Games as part of the GTA Online update released on July 23, 2019.
The casino is located at the corner of Vinewood Park Drive and Mirror Park Boulevard in Los Santos, on the site of the former Vinewood Casino. The complex includes a luxury hotel, penthouses, parking facilities, and a fictional management team led by characters such as Agatha Baker and Tao Cheng.
No real casino operator is behind the project. Players could only gamble with virtual chips purchased using GTA$—the in-game currency that can either be earned through missions and activities or bought with real money through Shark Cards.
Had The Diamond Casino & Resort been based on an actual brand, it could have become one of the biggest product placement opportunities in gaming history, with millions of players voluntarily spending time inside a branded virtual venue every day.
But that is not the case. The casino exists entirely within Rockstar’s fictional universe, and there is no advertising deal or commercial partnership behind it.
Where Did This Come From?
Australia is far from the first country to restrict access to GTA Online’s casino features. Before this decision, the casino was already unavailable in more than 50 countries, including China, Poland, and South Korea.
Australia has some of the strictest gambling regulations in the world. Online casinos and virtual slot machines are effectively banned, with exceptions only for licensed operators that must verify users’ identities and follow responsible gambling requirements, including spending limits.
In 2024, the country also introduced stricter video game classification rules. Games featuring paid loot boxes received a minimum M (15+) rating, while titles containing simulated casino gambling or betting mechanics were classified as R18+. GTA Online already carries an R18+ rating in Australia, making the restriction less surprising.
Rockstar appears to have taken a cautious approach, treating GTA Online’s virtual casino mechanics as gambling-related features, even though players cannot directly win or withdraw real money. The decision was broad enough to affect not only GTA Online’s casino but also poker in Red Dead Online.
How Are Players Reacting?
Unsurprisingly, many players are frustrated. Some argue that features included in a game they purchased have effectively been removed without any prior warning.
Rockstar, however, has remained silent and has not released any official comment regarding the decision.
