Aussie Millions Poker Championship back in 2026
Last Updated on 14 August 2025
One of the world’s most famous poker events is making a long-awaited return. After six years of doubt, the Aussie Millions Poker Championship will be back at its long-time home, Crown Melbourne, from April 24 to May 10, 2026.
This news marks a big comeback for the event and Australia’s live poker scene, both of which were hurt by rule changes and the pandemic.
A long road to recovery
The Aussie Millions last took place in January 2020, right before COVID-19 stopped live poker around the world. Known as the top poker event in the Southern Hemisphere, the festival drew hundreds of pros and casual players every year.
Its future became unclear during the pandemic and after the Bergin Inquiry found problems at Crown properties, including money laundering and ties to organised crime. While live poker in Australia slowed down, online platforms grew fast, with some players moving to digital options like Bitcasino poker.
Regulatory crackdowns, AU$80 million in fines, and the AU$8.9 billion Blackstone Group buyout in 2022 brought big changes, including a stop on poker tournaments at Crown Melbourne. For years, players worried the Aussie Millions might never come back.
Hints of a return showed up in 2024 when tournament poker slowly came back to Crown Melbourne. Rumours grew as people in the industry, including those on the Poker Pulse Podcast, talked about secret plans. These talks were confirmed when Crown Melbourne officially shared the 2026 dates.
What to expect in 2026?
The 2026 festival plans to bring back the fame that once made Aussie Millions a must-play event on the poker tour. The lineup will include 18 tournaments with an expected prize pool of AU$14 million or around US$9 million.
Buy-ins range from AU$1,500 (US$970) to AU$25,000 (US$16,000), attracting both casual players and top pros. The Main Event, costing AU$10,600 (US$6,900), remains the highlight, famous for bringing in elite players and creating legendary winners.
Crown Melbourne CEO Ed Domingo shared his excitement, saying the return will put the Aussie Millions back as an important stop on the world poker calendar for both casual and pro players.
A legacy of champions
Launched in 1998 with only 74 players and an AU$74,000 prize pool, the Aussie Millions quickly rose to become one of the top poker events in the world. By the mid-2000s, it had turned into a yearly tradition, mixing big-money games with Melbourne’s summer vibe.
The Main Event reached its highest point with 700–800 players, crowning winners like Gus Hansen (2007), Ari Engel (2016), Toby Lewis (2018), and Bryn Kenney (2019). Vincent Wan became the last winner before the break, earning AU$1.318 million in 2020.
The festival also became famous for its High Roller events, especially the AU$250,000 Challenge. Phil Ivey ruled this event in the early 2010s, winning three titles in five years and making it a legendary part of poker history.
From doubt to anticipation
The comeback comes after a rough time when Crown Poker said in early 2023 that tournaments would no longer run at Crown. This news upset players and raised doubts about the event’s future. However, with new owners and management, the venue has rebuilt its poker games and reopened the door for the festival to return.
The 2026 Aussie Millions is expected to bring in a mix of local players and international pros who want to relive the event’s past glory. Melbourne is set to shine again as a global poker centre.
Full details, including the full schedule and sign-up info, will be shared soon on crownmelbourne.com.au. For now, the countdown starts for the long-awaited return of Australia’s most famous poker event.
Its return also shows new global interest in high-stakes poker culture. This same energy is seen online at sites like Bitcasino.io, where digital tournaments and crypto poker rooms bring in a new wave of players from around the world.