Based on the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, online gambling is now forbidden and illegal for all Australian players and Australian gambling providers.
On the current page, we provide you with updated information about the gambling situation in Australia.
Currently, online gambling is deemed illegal in Australia, meaning that new Australian online casinos will not be available in this country. Following the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, providers of gambling products are not allowed to offer services such as:
New casinos for Australian players
Betting on a lottery outcome
Sportbetting from providers that do not hold Australian licenses
In-play sports betting
Advertisements under any form.
Moreover, the Aussie online casinos that had previously accepted players from this country, are no longer available. Generally, if you visit an online casino, a pop-up will appear informing you that you can no longer access it.
As the official description states, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 depicts the rules and regulations gambling companies need to comply with. It covers all online gambling, including websites, apps, or gambling via telephone.
The IGA is not necessarily directed at players, but more at companies that develop and promote gambling online, as well as new online casinos Australia.
The changes made in 2017 to the Interactive Gambling Act were mainly imposed to stop providers from outside of Australia from commercializing gambling products to Australian gamblers.
The changes include:
Credit lines cannot be offered by all operators
Creating new tools that prevent people from not respecting the regulations
Australian Border Force can receive complaints about offending companies
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) published a list of gambling providers that are registered in Australia
In the same year, around 33 services from the iGaming sector were withdrawn from Australia. Moreover, the IGA created the National Consumer Protection Framework program that aimed at protecting gamblers.
Two years later, some new changes were made, including the implementation of the National Self-Exclusion register. This allowed players to exclude themselves from the newest casinos Australia and from other available gambling platforms.
The registration process is completely free and it prevents players from creating new accounts or it prevents them from entering their current accounts.
The National Self-Exclusion program also blocks casino operators from letting you place bets no matter the bet type, value, or game. Casino providers will additionally be penalized if they send marketing messages, emails, or phone calls to those excluded players.
The ACMA, short for Australian Communications and Media Authority is an independent statutory authority in charge of the commonwealth of the Australian population. This means that they have the authority to license people, organizations, and products to operate legally in Australia.
ACMA can also:
Manage and decide upon rules about communications, and media services
Receive and resolve complaints and problems
Plan and manage airwaves, making space for new services
Besides ACMA, there are other commissions and authorities that generally regulate online casinos that accept Australian players and overall gambling.
Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) is an independent authority in charge of controlling all gambling products and services in Australia.
Legislation:
Liquor and Gaming New South Wales regulates liquor, gaming, wagering, casino, and any new Australian online casino registered in New South Wales.
Legislation:
Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation regulates the best Australian online casinos from Queensland and the services and products they provide.
Legislation:
Australian Capital Territory Gambling and Racing Commission is an independent authority established under the Gambling and Racing Control Act 1999. They also control and regulate new online casinos Australia.
Legislation:
Liquor and Gambling Online South Australia is part of the Consumer and Business Services, which is a division of the South Australian Government’s Attorney-General’s Department.
Legislation:
Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission regulates any Australian online casino in this state under the Gaming Control Act 1993.
Legislation:
Western Australian Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor is responsible for providing and solving policies, licenses, and any compliance matters in the gambling sector.
Legislation:
Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC) is established under the Racing and Betting Act 1983. They regulate the best online casino for Australian players from the Northern Territory.
Legislation:
There are no casino games in Australia that can be accessed through online casinos with the purpose of generating real money winnings. Casino games, as well as online casinos, are illegal and made inaccessible to the public. Even though access to online casinos in Australia will be removed, entitled authorities decided that some games can be played under certain circumstances.
However, it is important to note that gambling providers are not allowed to offer any products or casino games for real money. Therefore, the games can be accessed only if no real money is gained as a result of playing them.
The legal situation for Australia can change in the future and we will be able to see some new Aus casinos arise. Subscribe to our newsletter and we will keep you updated with brand new information about the change in this situation!
Yes, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 has made it illegal for all gambling providers to offer online gambling-related services to products to Australian players.
If you have any active deposits on an online casino from Australia, it is recommended that you get in contact with that casino to redeem your remaining amounts. This can be done through the customer service team of that online casino. Additionally, you can contact your local gambling authority for further assistance.