Is online gambling legal in Australia?
Some of it is. Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, it is illegal to offer online casino games, online slots (pokies), online poker and online instant-win games such as scratchies to people in Australia. Online sports and racing betting, and online lotteries, are legal when the provider holds an Australian licence.
Wagering providers are licensed by an Australian state or territory, most often the Northern Territory. A licence from Curaçao, Malta or anywhere else does not authorise an operator to serve Australians, whatever the site claims.
What the Interactive Gambling Act bans
- Online casino games: slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and other casino-style games played for money.
- Online poker for real money.
- Online scratchies and instant lotteries.
- In-play betting on sport online: bets placed after a sporting event has started can only be taken by phone or in person.
- Unlicensed wagering: sports or racing betting from a provider without an Australian licence.
The law is aimed at the companies offering these services rather than at players. That does not make offshore casinos safe to use: you give up every protection that Australian licensing provides.
Why offshore online casinos are risky
Sites marketed as “Australian online casinos” are almost always offshore operators serving Australians illegally. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) enforces the Act and has had internet providers block more than a thousand illegal gambling and affiliate websites. Operators respond with mirror domains, so a site you used last month may reappear under a new address.
- No local complaints route. If an offshore casino withholds a withdrawal or closes your account, no Australian regulator can act for you.
- Payment problems. Banks may block or reverse payments to unlicensed gambling sites, and crypto deposits are usually impossible to recover.
- Personal data. Identity documents sent to an unlicensed operator are outside Australian privacy oversight.
- No BetStop. Offshore sites are not part of the national self-exclusion register.
Our EraBet guide shows how an Australian-facing casino can advertise bonuses and fast payouts without a working, verifiable service behind it.
Licensed betting sites in Australia
For sports and racing betting, use a provider on ACMA’s register of licensed wagering providers. Licensed betting sites in Australia must follow the National Consumer Protection Framework, which gives you protections offshore sites do not:
- No sign-up bonuses: licensed providers cannot offer inducements to open an account.
- Deposit limits: you are offered a deposit limit when you open an account and can change it at any time.
- Activity statements showing your wins, losses and deposits.
- No credit cards or crypto: since June 2024, online wagering accounts cannot be funded by credit card or digital currency.
- BetStop: one registration excludes you from every licensed online and phone betting provider.
We currently review Sportsbet, which holds Northern Territory sports bookmaker licence SBL1018. We are adding more Australian-licensed bookmakers; until then, check any other provider on the ACMA register before you join.
How to check a betting site before you join
- Search the ACMA register for the exact business and website name.
- Find the licence in the site’s footer and confirm it is issued by an Australian state or territory.
- Make sure the site offers you a deposit limit during sign-up and does not advertise a sign-up bonus.
- Fund your account with a debit card or bank transfer in your own name.
Help and self-exclusion
BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, blocks you from every licensed online and phone wagering provider at once. Gambling Help Online offers free 24/7 support on 1800 858 858. See our responsible gaming guide for more tools. 18+.
