Is Online Gambling Legal in Australia? ACMA Blocks Five Sites

Australia’s communications and media regulator has asked internet providers to block five more illegal online gambling sites: Bet Ninja, Riobet188, ThePokies33, Spade69 and WinShark. The Australian Communications and Media Authority said on 24 September that its investigations found the services operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

The latest direction covers five named services. It brings the number of illegal gambling and affiliate websites blocked at the ACMA’s request since November 2019 to 1,822. The regulator also says more than 230 illegal services have withdrawn from the Australian market since stronger enforcement began in 2017.

A blocking direction is an enforcement measure aimed at access through Australian internet providers. It is not a finding that every customer has lost money, and it does not convert an account balance into a protected debt. The practical risk is that a customer may lose access while still having limited recourse against an overseas operator.

Some online gambling is legal, but availability on a phone or computer is not proof of legality. The Interactive Gambling Act prohibits operators from offering online casino games to people in Australia. The ACMA identifies online slots or pokies, poker, blackjack and roulette among the casino-style services that cannot legally be supplied online to Australian customers.

The federal rules also prohibit in-play sports betting online, unlicensed sports betting services and betting on lottery outcomes. Licensed online and telephone wagering services can operate within the permitted categories, subject to federal rules and the licence issued by the relevant state or territory authority.

This distinction is why the phrase “online gambling” can be misleading when used without the product type. A licensed pre-match wagering service and an offshore online casino are not treated alike merely because both use a website or app.

The ACMA can ask Australian internet service providers to restrict access to a domain linked to a prohibited service. Blocking adds friction and removes a direct route to the site for many users. It also gives consumers a clear regulatory warning when a service has been investigated and identified as unlawful.

Blocking does not guarantee that every copy, mirror or replacement domain disappears. Illegal operators can change addresses, use new brand names or direct customers towards alternative access methods. A message inviting a player to use a mirror, virtual private network or replacement app should therefore be treated as an added risk, not a solution.

A block also does not place an offshore operator under Australian consumer-protection supervision. The ACMA warns that Australian regulators may be unable to help if an illegal provider withholds winnings, closes the service or continues taking money without permission.

The safest starting point is the ACMA’s register of licensed interactive wagering providers. Search the current trading name and confirm that the domain being used matches the URL in the register. The entry also identifies the licence holder and the state or territory licensing authority.

A familiar name is not enough. Scam pages and unauthorised copies can imitate an operator, while an offshore service may display a licence from another country that does not permit it to supply a prohibited product in Australia. Check the exact domain rather than relying on a logo, app-store listing, social-media advert or influencer link.

The register covers licensed wagering providers; it is not a directory of legal Australian online casinos. An online casino does not become lawful for Australian customers because it is absent from a blocked-sites list or because the website accepts Australian dollars.

Do not deposit more money to unlock a withdrawal, verification step or account transfer. Save account statements, deposit receipts, withdrawal requests, emails and the exact domain used. Contact the provider only through contact details already associated with the account, and do not install a new app or send identity documents through an unsolicited message.

The ACMA says people having difficulty recovering money from an overseas gambling website may consider independent legal advice, a complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, or contact with the relevant overseas licensing authority. These routes do not guarantee recovery, which is one reason checking a service before depositing matters.

A suspected illegal gambling service can be reported through the ACMA’s interactive gambling complaint form. The regulator says a complainant does not have to provide a name. Complaints about other conduct by a licensed provider may instead belong with the authority that issued its licence.

Domain blocking is reactive. A service can appear online before an investigation is completed or before an internet provider applies a new direction. The absence of a warning screen therefore says only that the current access route works; it says nothing reliable about licensing, product legality or withdrawal protection.

Players should also be cautious when a site markets itself as “Australian”, uses local currency or offers local sports. Those features can target Australian users without establishing legal authority to serve them. The decisive checks are the product being offered, the exact operator and domain, and the official licensed-provider register where wagering is concerned.

Online casino games remain prohibited services when supplied to people in Australia. Permitted online wagering must be provided by an Australian-licensed operator and stay within the rules, including the restrictions on in-play betting and credit. The latest five blocks reinforce that enforcement is continuing, but consumers should not wait for a domain to appear on a block list before checking it.

Use the ACMA register before opening a wagering account, avoid offshore casino and poker services, and keep payment and account records. Gambling is for adults and carries a risk of financial harm. BetStop provides national self-exclusion from licensed online and telephone wagering, while Gambling Help Online offers free confidential support for anyone affected by gambling.

Sources: Australian Communications and Media Authority, “Latest illegal online gambling websites blocked” (24 September 2026, official blocked-site names, enforcement totals and consumer warning); Australian Communications and Media Authority, “About the Interactive Gambling Act” (updated 21 August 2026, official prohibited-service categories and enforcement framework); Australian Communications and Media Authority, “Check if a gambling operator is legal” (updated 7 September 2026, official licensed-provider register and complaint routes); and Australian Communications and Media Authority, “Protect yourself from illegal gambling operators” (updated 6 March 2025, official consumer risks and recovery options).