Are Online Casinos Legal in Australia?
Written By Scott Lawson
Last Updated on 07.10.2024 On this page, you will find a clear explanation of the laws surrounding all online gambling activities in Australia, including both the completely illegal online casinos in Australia and the legal sports betting options. As there are a lot of rogue operations out there claiming to be the best Australian casino sites, we have put together this page to provide the proof that these websites are acting against the law, and therefore could be out to simply steal your money or personal details.
Avoid Any Best Australian Online Casinos Lists
As online casinos are banned in Australia, any websites claiming to offer a ranked list of the best online casinos for Australian players are disregarding the law. The blatant disregard for the nearly-20-year-old law is only serving to confuse ambitious enthusiasts who are looking to expand their gambling activities. Part of this confusion could be explained due to the fact that online sports betting is legal, and there are a couple of land-based casinos sprinkled throughout the country. In this page, you’ll find clear descriptions of how to stay on the right of the law and safe from crooks.
Sports Betting: A Legal Alternative to Online Casinos
Is Online Gambling in Australia Legal?
Australia has very clear-cut gambling laws that allow some forms of online wagering, such as sports betting, while others like casino games and lottery are only available in land-based outlets. You can walk into one of many TAB outlets in any state, for example, and put a bet on the horses or the next AFL or NRL game. You can also place these bets online, and often the bookies are the same brand both online and offline.
In terms of in person gambling, most state capitals operate with a few options of gambling houses, such as the Crown Casino in Melbourne and Perth, and the Star Casino in Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra, Mindil Beach Casino in Darwin, and the Treasury casino and Hotel in Brisbane. There are no online casinos Australia players can access legally, so you’ll have to make do with these fancy establishments for the likes of table games like blackjack, roulette or baccarat.
However, if you’re looking for the pokies, you can poke your head into basically any pub, club, RSL or bistro and find a collection of machines. These are some of the most popular games for Aussies, raking in billions in revenue every year. Each different state has different gambling authorities, so always be sure to check for a local licence before you partake in any sports. To see an example of what rights and obligations tend to be prescribed, you can skim through Queensland’s casino gaming rules, updated in 2018.
Gambling is incredibly popular in Australia, with recent statistics showing that more than 81% of adults in the country like to partake in some form of wagering. Although there are no legal online casinos in the country, casinos still rake in the majority of the revenue across all types, around $17 billion in 2018. Of that amount, $12 billion are coming in through the pokies, a massive plight on the countryside with the machines more common than ATMs. Aussies are also betting the most money per person per year out of any country in the world, at over a grand each.
| Land Based Casinos | 20 major resorts, hundreds of small houses |
|---|---|
| Average Spend on Gambling | $1,200 per person per year |
| Gambling Regulator | State-based |
| Number of Poker Machines | 196,177 as of June 2017 |
| Gambling Winning Tax | 0% |
| Online Gambling Law | The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 |
History of Gambling in Australia
Betting has long been popular in Australia, with the already prevalent games coming over with the English settlers. Possibly the most interesting tidbit about the Australian gambling history is about Two-Up. Essentially a game of coin toss that involves flipping two coins from a ‘spinner’ paddle and betting on the outcome. Currently, Two-Up is only legal to play on Anzac Day, and you can usually find games being held in local RSLs to honour the Diggers.
Sports betting has also continually grown in popularity since the country’s first official horse race was held in 1810. Though betting on the races is still one of the most favoured – with both Melbourne and Canberra getting public holidays just to do so – now the popular betting options also include the footy and rugby, as well as betting on outcomes of reality TV shows and even the federal elections.
When Will There Be Legal Online Casinos?
For the past years, there has been an increasing demand for online gambling by Aussie players, which evenutally will lead to the need of local authority and licensing body. There are already debates in the country about the benefits that legalised online gambling market could have, especially since there are still offshore sites that operate in the country, yet do not fall under its jurisdiction. Overall, it is uncertain when there will be legal online casinos in Australia, but there is for sure a change in the approach and most likely legislation amendmends will follow.
Australian Player Questions
Hopefully this article has been able to very clearly pass on the information that there are no legal online casinos in Australia, though many readers still have unanswered questions about the industry. We’ve gathered the most common ones here to give you some more facts.
Is it safe to play at an online casino?
No, there are no safe ways to gamble at online casinos in Australia. Though it is not illegal to play at an online casino from Australia, it is illegal for any website to offer you casino games, so any page doing so could be shut down at any moment, taking your deposited funds with it. We recommend you stick to the legal and-based casinos across the country.
Can I play at an online casino in Australia?
You may be able to access online casinos in Australia, and it is legal for you to play at them. However, it is illegal for any person or company to host online casino games of any kind for Australians, so they are breaking the law and likely to steal your money.
Can you win money playing online slots?
The concept of online slots and the way they are programmed using Random Number Generators (RNG) means that they are guaranteed to pay out in a fair way, but the house edge means that over time, you are guaranteed to lose.
Can I play blackjack online for real money?
You cannot play blackjack, or any other casino games, online in Australia with real money stakes, as offering the games is illegal under the Australian law. If you wish to play these games, you must go to a land-based casino.
Conclusion: The Future of Online Gambling in Australia
As offering casino games to Australians, either from on- or off-shore websites is completely illegal, there is no way to list the best online casinos for Australian players. As with many other illegal activities, many companies have decided that it is still worth it to break the law in order to make money from people, so you will certainly find online casinos in Australia. However, we recommend that you avoid these sites as there is no guarantee that your money, winnings or wagers will be honoured. If you’re looking for a gambling alternative, sports betting is legal and regulated by the government.