PowerUp Casino Australia: ACMA Findings, Reported Closure and Account Risks

What happened to PowerUp Casino?

In a formal warning signed on 4 November 2025, ACMA identified NovaForge Ltd as a provider of Power Up Casino during its investigation. The warning connected the service to the historical domain powerupcasino.com and recorded findings about several investigated gambling services. Those findings describe the service and provider at the time; they do not establish who currently owns or operates the brand.

The historical domain also appears on ACMA’s blocked gambling websites list. That is evidence of a regulatory blocking action, not a test of what every person in Australia sees when attempting to visit the address.

Later reports said the casino would close, but they do not agree on the date. An Affiliate Guard Dog forum post reproduced a message attributed to the PowerUp affiliate team, reporting a permanent casino closure on 2 November 2026 and an affiliate-programme end on 31 October. A separate Strafe review gave 31 October as the date operations would cease. The forum message was not independently authenticated.

Neither report establishes what happened to every account or balance. A redirect from the historical domain, or a similarly named website, is not by itself evidence of an official successor or a transfer of responsibility for customer funds.

• 2025: ACMA investigated the services and issued a formal warning identifying NovaForge as a provider.
• Blocking record: the historical PowerUp domain appears on ACMA’s blocked-sites list and in its October–December 2025 action report.
• 2026: secondary sources reported closure, but gave different dates and did not verify the disposition of customer balances.

Is PowerUp Casino legal or available in Australia?

Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits providers from offering online casino services, including online pokies and casino-style games, to people physically present in Australia. The Act also restricts other categories of interactive gambling, including unlicensed online wagering. These categories should not be treated as interchangeable: a state or territory wagering licence does not authorise the provision of prohibited online casino games.

In its 2025 warning, ACMA found that NovaForge had contravened subsections 15(2A) and 15AA(3) in connection with the investigated services. The warning addresses prohibited services as well as unlicensed regulated services. It should not be read as a finding that every product mentioned in the document belonged to the same legal category.

The distinction between provider and player matters. The ACMA findings concern the provision of services, not a finding that customers committed an offence merely by using a site. ACMA’s 2025 consumer-survey questionnaire also states that use of offshore gambling sites and apps is not illegal. That is not a substitute for legal advice about every possible action or circumstance.

Past availability to Australian customers does not prove that the service currently accepts them. Nor does a blocked-list entry establish the result of every connection attempt. Present Australian eligibility and access were not verified for this assessment.

ACMA’s guidance also describes gambling reforms passed in August 2026, with most due to commence on 1 January 2027. Their future commencement should not be confused with the existing prohibition on providing online casino services to people in Australia.

• Provider position: Australian law prohibits offering online casino services to people in Australia.
• Player position: the historical ACMA warning is directed at a provider, not a finding against customers.
• Current availability: neither present acceptance of Australian customers nor access from every Australian connection has been established.

Who operated the service, and was it licensed?

ACMA identified NovaForge Ltd as a provider of Power Up Casino during its 2025 investigation. It also found that NovaForge did not hold a relevant Australian state or territory licence for the regulated interactive gambling services it supplied to Australians at that time. The evidence does not establish the brand’s current owner or beneficial owners.

A current offshore licence matched to the historical PowerUp domain and operator was not independently verified. Even if an offshore licence were valid, it would not override Australia’s prohibition on offering online casino services to people in Australia.

When assessing any PowerUp Casino licence claim, look beyond a badge or licence number on a website. A useful check requires a dated record from the relevant regulator that matches the legal entity and exact domain, and shows both the scope and current status of the authorisation. A record for a different entity or gambling product does not settle the question.

• Legal entity: does the regulator’s record identify the provider making the claim?
• Exact domain: is the website address covered by the record?
• Scope and status: what activities are authorised, and is the record current?

PowerUp casino login and withdrawal questions

Current PowerUp casino login requirements, Australian eligibility and account recovery arrangements could not be verified from a current operator source. The blocking record and reported closure make a replacement login guide inappropriate. A site with a familiar name or a redirect from an old address does not establish who is authorised to handle an existing account.

For a PowerUp casino withdrawal, current methods, fees, limits, identity checks and processing times are also unverified. Identity verification can be a condition of withdrawal in gambling generally, but there is no established current PowerUp rule that explains when or how such a check would apply.

A reported closure does not, on its own, prove that a balance has been extinguished or transferred. Equally, the available evidence does not establish that a particular entity will pay an outstanding balance. ACMA warns that customers of illegal gambling operators can face problems such as withheld winnings and limited remedies.

If you have an unresolved account issue, preserve the information you already hold and establish who is authorised to deal with the account before sharing sensitive documents. Do not send passwords or identity documents to an unverified site or contact.

• Keep copies of transaction records, account correspondence and relevant screenshots.
• Record the amounts and dates involved, along with any messages about the account or closure.
• Check the identity and authority of any party claiming to handle the balance before providing personal information.
• Consider the reporting and advice options below; none guarantees recovery.

What is known about games and testing?

ACMA’s investigation concerned services that included real-money casino-style games and betting services. The warning covers multiple services, so it should not be used to construct a current catalogue of PowerUp Casino games or attribute every investigated product to a present-day offering.

Current game lists, named suppliers and independent testing arrangements were not established. A claim that games are independently tested would need a checkable certificate covering the relevant games and period. The absence of verified evidence here does not prove that testing never took place.

Bonuses: what can be verified?

No current Australian-eligible PowerUp casino bonus with complete terms was verified. Historical promotional coverage, including a review that also reports closure, is not sufficient evidence that an offer remains available or that an Australian customer can claim it.

One term commonly found in gambling promotions is a wagering requirement: the amount that must be bet under an offer’s terms before qualifying funds can be withdrawn. The calculation base, eligible games, deadline and any withdrawal cap depend on the actual offer. None should be assumed for PowerUp without current, complete terms.

Complaints, account disputes and gambling support

Reporting a suspected illegal service is different from pursuing a disputed balance. ACMA accepts interactive gambling complaints and can consider information about suspected illegal services. Its complaint process is not a payout-recovery service.

ACMA says Australian regulators cannot resolve poor treatment or withheld winnings at illegal gambling operators. Its consumer guidance identifies independent legal advice, an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission complaint or contact with a relevant licensing authority as possible avenues. Which option is useful depends on the circumstances, and no outcome is guaranteed. A current PowerUp-specific complaint body or verified licensing authority was not established.

If gambling is causing harm or concern, support is available whether or not a balance dispute is resolved. The National Gambling Helpline is 1800 858 858; it is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Gambling Help Online also provides support for people affected by gambling.

BetStop can exclude a person from Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers. It is not a guarantee of exclusion from offshore casinos. ACMA’s provider checker can help identify licensed Australian wagering providers, but a wagering listing does not authorise online casino games.

• Report a suspected illegal service: use ACMA’s interactive gambling complaint form, listed in the sources.
• Seek advice about a balance: review ACMA’s consumer guidance and consider independent legal advice or another relevant complaint avenue.
• Get gambling support: call 1800 858 858 or use the support services listed by the Department of Social Services.

FAQ

Is PowerUp Casino legal in Australia?

Australian law prohibits providers from offering online casino services to people physically present in Australia. ACMA found breaches involving the services it investigated and identified NovaForge as a provider. That was a finding about provision of the services, not a finding that customers committed an offence merely by using them.

Has PowerUp Casino closed?

Closure has been reported, but the date is uncertain. A forum reproduced a message attributed to the affiliate team reporting a 2 November 2026 casino closure, while a separate review gave 31 October. Neither source establishes how every customer account or balance was handled.

Is PowerUp Casino licensed?

During its investigation, ACMA found no relevant Australian state or territory licence for NovaForge’s regulated interactive gambling services. A current offshore licence matched to the historical PowerUp domain was not independently verified. In any event, an offshore licence would not authorise prohibited online casino services to people in Australia.

How do PowerUp Casino withdrawals work?

Current withdrawal methods, checks, fees and processing times could not be verified. Existing customers should retain transaction records and correspondence, and should not assume a redirected website is responsible for an old balance. ACMA’s consumer guidance explains risks and possible avenues for disputes.

Can Australians claim a PowerUp Casino bonus?

No current Australian-eligible offer with complete terms was verified. A historical promotion or review-site claim does not establish a live offer. Any wagering requirement, deadline or withdrawal cap would depend on the actual terms rather than a general description.

Where can an existing customer complain?

A suspected illegal gambling service can be reported using ACMA’s interactive gambling complaint form. For a disputed balance, ACMA identifies possible avenues including independent legal advice and contact with a relevant licensing authority. Its reporting process is not a payout-recovery service, and none of these routes guarantees a payment.