Retail operations are typically conducted using authorised agents and licensing distribution arrangements. The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 https://spinline.io/ (IGA) serves as the cornerstone of online gambling legislation in Australia. It was enacted to regulate the burgeoning online gambling industry and safeguard Australian citizens from the potential harms of unregulated gambling. While there are no specific laws prohibiting the use of cryptocurrencies for gambling – online gambling is heavily regulated.
Traffic Law
Without protection, you’re on your own if you choose to play at an offshore online casino from Australia. All this points to a likelihood Australia’s gambling laws will be reviewed and adjusted to address and accommodate market needs, challenges and advancements. The future lies in an equilibrium of leveraging technology for age verification, closer international cooperation and ceding greater autonomy to players. Note that if an online casino is offering these games with no real money, then it is perfectly legal in Australia.
Why we block illegal gambling websites
As mentioned earlier, gambling regulations in Australia are primarily determined by each of the states and territories. It’s advisable for bettors to ensure they use reputable and licensed platforms to avoid legal complications. Punters should read online reviews from reputable sources like CryptoBettingExpert.com before they consider trying to bet with cryptocurrency. Under this scheme, a gambler would choose their limits in advance — before they lose track of time and start chasing losses — and the system would then enforce these limits. It says about 93 per cent of Australia’s 185,000 pokies are outside casinos and that suburban pokies are in some areas more common than ATMs, post boxes, or public toilets. Beyond its initial implementation, subsequent amendments have been made to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, yet recent study shows Australia is lagging behind Europe in regulating online wagering.
- Interactive gambling consists of gambling activities which take place on broadcasting, datacasting and online platforms.
- To read a more in-depth explanation, see this article on why online casinos are banned in Australia.
- The Act primarily targets service providers, banning unlicensed online casinos and sports betting, thereby safeguarding players from potential scams and unregulated sites.
- However, the legislation is very weak, and there are plenty of online casinos that continue to allow Australian users to play without any penalty or consequence.
However, a person may still apply for an ‘internet gaming licence’ in the Northern Territory and offer their gaming products outside of Australia in certain circumstances. All state and territory unlawful gambling schemes include criminal penalties for non-compliance. Gambling on pokies is far less prevalent in WA because they’re only available in one casino. Gambling problems and harm are about one-third lower in WA, and our analysis shows this can be attributed to the limited access to pokies.
While fewer people are gambling, the proportion of people experiencing problems has not changed much, nor has gambling turnover. The 2024 NSW prevalence survey, for example, found 54% reported gambling in the previous 12 months, down from 69% in 2006. Almost all further prevalence studies show the proportion of adults gambling has declined substantially over time. In some Australian states and territories, four or five have been conducted over the past 20 or so years. Copyright © 2025 GoBet®, GoBet® is the registered trade mark of Gobet International Pty Ltd18+. This service may include www.qld.gov.au material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
The report calls on the government to introduce the Senate inquiry recommendations for a complete ban on gambling advertising within three years and a ban on inducements "without delay". Aside from potentially losing any money that you have deposited or won, offshore casinos are unlicensed and unregulated in Australia, which means you have no financial or consumer protections. In 2019, further law changes brought about the launch of BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Australia’s road toll was high and proposed safety measures such as seatbelts were met with consternation. But over time these measures have become part of life – and the road toll has more than halved. Pre-commitment schemes require gamblers to choose their limits in advance – before they lose track of time or start chasing losses. Players should verify the site’s licensing, ensure it’s compliant with Australian laws, and consider the safety and security measures in place especially with regards to financial transactions.
Any applicant for a licence is generally required to undergo a probity assessment to determine whether such applicant is ‘fit and proper’ to be granted a licence. The processes are generally quite extensive, and it can sometimes take up to 12 months or longer for state and territory gambling regulators to complete in relation to new applicants seeking major licences. Hotels and clubs hold a venue operator’s licence and a permit/licence to operate each gaming machine within the licensed premises. There are often strict local government planning requirements that must be met in relation to gaming machines. Retail Wagering is offered by state and territory-based totalisator agency boards (TABs) pursuant to sole licences in the relevant state or territory, thereby providing them with a form of ‘retail exclusivity’. There is co-mingling of state and territory totalisator pools through pooling arrangements, with three Australian totalisator pools currently in existence.