Prohibition on importing poker chips to Australia (1 Viewer)

[The_Worm]

Hi All

I ordered about 800 chips from a few different people on PCF. I set up a U.S. forwarding address and used a freight company based in Hong Kong as this option was a lot cheaper than DHL / FedEX etc (shipping costs to Australia are extortionate, even more so during COVID).

The first batch of chips arrived in Hong Kong. I paid for the shipping on to Australia. Now the freight company are refusing to ship the chips to Australia because (according to them) Australian law prohibits the importation of gambling products into Australia.

I'm close to 100% certain they are wrong. I have reviewed the Border Force prohibited items list and there is no mention of gambling products. Border Force also confirmed this by phone. The problem is that the HK freight company are a nightmare to deal with and are flat out refusing to ship the goods or provide a refund. They say I have to arrange another courier to collect the chips and then ship to Australia.

Have any Aussies / Hong Kongers / any other PCFers experienced this issue?

@davislane

@Perthmike

Can you recommend a freight company to use from HK to Australia?

Happy for you to send me a PM.

Thanks in advance

 

[HaRDHouSeiNC]

Wow what a racket
Take payment then claim they can’t ship it

 

[The_Worm]

Wow what a racket
Take payment then claim they can’t ship it

Yup, infuriating.

And the worst part is they are holding my chips hostage until I pay

 

[JK_Poker]

Never experienced anything like this mate, that sucks!

 

[The_Worm]

Never experienced anything like this mate, that sucks!

Major headache mate!

 

[LeLe]

That sound bullshit, but I always declare them under Game chips rather than gambling products whenever I reship them back to Singapore

 

[The_Worm]

That sound bullshit, but I always declare them under Game chips rather than gambling products whenever I reship them back to Singapore

I labelled them as 'poker chips'. Problem is they open the packages to inspect them anyway

 

[Perthmike]

I've had shipments come in before that I am pretty sure would have been labelled gambling equipment and they went through customs for duties to be added. I had no issues getting them.

Sounds like bullshit to me, unless the issue is in Hong Kong directly.

I've had no experience with this though so I can't help I'm afraid.

 

[davislane]

Sounds like bullshit. Ask them to point you to the specific law that prohibits them and direct them to the border force website which lists prohibited items which they wont find gambling products on. tell them they are counters for board games and too politely mind their business

 

[Phantom]

Hmmm, this is the sort of thing we don't need if we do an order from China, even if they are in the 'wrong'. I don't think they adhere to our laws, hence their ability to copy everything with impunity.

I have never ordered from China or HK, only South Korea (MSK), so I'm not sure how you fix this either, sorry mate.

 

[Thomacetti]

Sorry to hear about your troubles...
Depending on the value of the package (related to the shipping cost), I would ask if there is another country they are willing to ship the package to.
Then see if we have a chipper there that can relay back to you.

Going to cost some pennies but at least your are moving forward again...because couriers have no problem holding international packages for ages if the customer don't 'comply'. Infractions with import are not to triffle with (so they don't take any chances, correct or not).

 

[The_Worm]

Thanks lads, just got an email saying they will ship to Aus if I agree to assume all risk for customs penalties (which I am happy to do) so sounds like it's all good

 

[EpicAS]

You could point out that technically they aren't gambling products... they are hobby chips... or replicas/collectables.

 

[Phantom]

Thanks lads, just got an email saying they will ship to Aus if I agree to assume all risk for customs penalties (which I am happy to do) so sounds like it's all good

Keep us posted and good luck

 

[Thomacetti]

Thanks lads, just got an email saying they will ship to Aus if I agree to assume all risk for customs penalties (which I am happy to do) so sounds like it's all good

Sounds good...some good advice

- avoid wordings like 'gambling' & 'casino' when shipping international and use 'board tokens' or 'obselete gaming tokens'
- don't try to cut corners regarding shipping cost

 

[The_Worm]

Keep us posted and good luck

Thanks mate, will do

 

[The_Worm]

Sounds good...some good advice

- avoid wordings like 'gambling' & 'casino' when shipping international and use 'board tokens' or 'obselete gaming tokens'
- don't try to cut corners regarding shipping cost

Live and learn

 

[HaRDHouSeiNC]

Live and learn

Collectible clay checkers set

 

[MrWitti]

I always use the word play money to indicate that there is no value attached to the chips

 

[Highli99]

I think all of the scofflaws who smuggled illegal gambling tokens into the great nation of Australia should immediately turn their contraband to me for safekeeping. I’ll hold them in trust until such time that laws are changed or they immigrate to less restrictive geographies. Please PM me for more details on this unique amnesty program.

 

[longflop]

I think all of the scofflaws who smuggled illegal gambling tokens into the great nation of Australia should immediately turn their contraband to me for safekeeping. I’ll hold them in trust until such time that laws are changed or they immigrate to less restrictive geographies. Please PM me for more details on this unique amnesty program.

The hero we need!

 

[The_Worm]

I think all of the scofflaws who smuggled illegal gambling tokens into the great nation of Australia should immediately turn their contraband to me for safekeeping. I’ll hold them in trust until such time that laws are changed or they immigrate to less restrictive geographies. Please PM me for more details on this unique amnesty program.

Thank you for introducing the word ‘scofflaw’ into my vocabulary

 

[rowlin]

Did you pay with a credit card?

 

[Phantom]

I think all of the scofflaws who smuggled illegal gambling tokens into the great nation of Australia should immediately turn their contraband to me for safekeeping. I’ll hold them in trust until such time that laws are changed or they immigrate to less restrictive geographies. Please PM me for more details on this unique amnesty program.

Hey!? What are you implying here?! Smugglers!?
It’s not like we’re habitual criminals or something. I mean just because we were founded by convicts, er, just because we, er… never mind.

 

[Coyote]

"Ceramic souvenirs" worked just fine for a shipment from Greece (EU) to outside the EU (hell, even outside the UN, namely Switzerland - for those of you who don't know why Schweiz is not in the UN, there is always Google and Wikipaedia - I 'm not gonna be mean here).
To be honest, it was old-fashioned, pure fuckin' leaded clay.

 

[The_Worm]

Did you pay with a credit card?

I did

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Hey!? What are you implying here?! Smugglers!?
It’s not like we’re habitual criminals or something. I mean just because we were founded by convicts, er, just because we, er… never mind.

Wait, you're trying to tell me Iocane powder doesn't come from Australia????

 

[Phantom]

It sure does. How much you want? Skippy will take care of it for you...

 

[WedgeRock]

No value gaming checks.

 

[Phantom]

Ceramic floor tile sample discs.
Collector Tokens.
Board Game Tokens