Is Online Gambling Legal in Australia?
Online gambling in Australia is legal for some products and prohibited for others. The dividing line is set by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA), a Commonwealth law administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The IGA regulates the businesses that provide and advertise gambling services. It does not contain an offence for an individual in Australia who places a bet or plays a game.
This page sets out which online products are licensed, which are prohibited, what that means for players, and what changed in 2024–2026. It is general information, not legal advice.
The Short Answer
- Legal and licensed: online sports and racing betting placed before an event starts, with a provider that holds an Australian licence; official lotteries sold online.
- Prohibited to offer: online casino games (pokies, roulette, blackjack, poker, live dealer tables), online in-play betting on sport, betting on the outcome of a lottery, and any wagering service without an Australian licence.
- Players: the IGA’s prohibitions and penalties apply to providers and advertisers. ACMA’s position is that Australians who use illegal services are not protected by Australian law, so there is no Australian regulator to recover withheld winnings.
What Is Legal, Product by Product
| Product (offered online to people in Australia) | Status under the IGA | Who regulates |
|---|---|---|
| Sports and racing betting before the event starts | Legal if the provider holds an Australian licence | State or territory regulator; ACMA register of licensed providers |
| In-play betting on sport placed via website or app | Prohibited (phone betting in-play is permitted) | ACMA |
| Official lotteries (for example lotto draws) | Legal | State and territory lottery regulators |
| Betting on the outcome of a lottery | Prohibited since the 2018 lottery betting amendment | ACMA |
| Online pokies and casino table games | Prohibited | ACMA |
| Live dealer casino games | Prohibited (they are casino games delivered online) | ACMA |
| Online poker for real money | Prohibited | ACMA |
| Wagering service with no Australian licence | Prohibited (“unlicensed regulated interactive gambling service”) | ACMA |
Land-based gambling (pokies in pubs and clubs, casinos, TAB outlets) is regulated separately by each state and territory and is not covered by this table. See online vs land-based gambling for how the two systems differ.
Who the Law Targets
The IGA creates offences and civil penalty provisions for providing a prohibited interactive gambling service to customers in Australia, for providing an unlicensed wagering service, and for advertising either type of service in Australia. Each day of contravention can count as a separate contravention. Directors and other people “knowingly concerned” in a contravention can also be pursued, and ACMA can refer directors and principals of offending companies to the Australian Border Force.
There is no provision in the IGA that penalises a customer for using a prohibited service. That is why the practical risk for a player is financial rather than criminal:
- No Australian body can order an offshore casino to pay a withheld withdrawal.
- Australian consumer protections for licensed wagering (deposit limits, monthly activity statements, BetStop) do not bind an offshore operator.
- The site can be blocked by your internet provider at any time, and balances on blocked domains are handled only by the operator.
The full breakdown of offences and enforcement tools is on our Interactive Gambling Act explainer.
How the Rules Are Enforced in 2026
ACMA investigates complaints, issues formal warnings, seeks civil penalties in the Federal Court and asks internet service providers to block websites under section 313 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. According to ACMA, 1,708 illegal gambling and affiliate websites had been blocked between the first blocking request in November 2019 and 21 May 2026, and more than 230 illegal services have withdrawn from the Australian market since the 2017 reforms.
In the April–June 2026 quarter alone, ACMA reported 465 enquiries and complaints, 30 completed investigations covering 76 gambling sites, 56 breach findings, 18 formal warnings and 187 websites referred for blocking. The process is explained on our page about ACMA blocked sites.
Changes Players Should Know About
| Date | Change | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 2019 onward | Identity verification rules tightened; since 29 Sep 2023 verification must be completed before the first bet | Licensed wagering providers |
| 21 Aug 2023 | BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, launched | Licensed online and phone wagering |
| 11 Jun 2024 | Ban on credit cards, credit-linked wallets and digital currency for online wagering deposits | Licensed online and phone wagering |
| 19 Aug 2026 | Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 passed: advertising restrictions, an opt-out register for gambling ads, limits on inducements, stronger powers against illegal services | Most reforms commence 1 Jan 2027 |
None of these measures make offshore casino play legal. They apply to licensed Australian providers, and the 2026 package adds further powers against illegal operators, including takedowns of advertisements and services.
How to Check Whether a Betting Site Is Legal
- Search the provider’s trading name on ACMA’s register of licensed interactive wagering providers.
- Confirm the licence is issued by an Australian state or territory regulator (most national bookmakers are licensed in the Northern Territory).
- If the site offers online pokies or casino tables to Australian accounts, it is not operating legally in Australia, whatever overseas licence it displays.
- Check the ACMA blocked-sites list if the domain changes frequently or you were redirected to a “mirror” address.
Our step-by-step guide to checking a casino licence covers how to verify overseas licences such as Curaçao or Anjouan, and the offshore casinos page explains what those licences do and do not cover for Australians.
Tax and Self-Exclusion
Recreational gambling winnings are generally not assessable income in Australia; the ATO treats gambling as taxable only where it is carried on as a business. Details and edge cases (crypto prizes, professional gamblers) are on the gambling tax page. If you want to block access to all licensed Australian betting sites in one step, see our guide to BetStop.
Primary sources: Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (legislation.gov.au) and ACMA: About the Interactive Gambling Act.
This guide is part of our online gambling in Australia section, which covers the law, licences, complaints and player protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Interactive Gambling Act makes it illegal to provide or advertise online casino services to people in Australia. It does not create an offence for the player. The risk for the player is that Australian law offers no protection if the operator refuses to pay.
Sports and racing betting placed before the event with an Australian-licensed provider, and official lotteries bought online. In-play sports betting is legal only by phone.
They operate from overseas under foreign licences. ACMA blocks these domains when it finds a breach, but operators often launch new mirror domains, which ACMA then adds to the blocking list.
Real-money online poker is a prohibited interactive gambling service. Australian providers cannot offer it, and offshore providers that do are in breach of the IGA.
Most of the reforms passed on 19 August 2026 commence then, including gambling advertising restrictions, an opt-out register for gambling ads and limits on inducements. They do not legalise online casinos.
Gambling is for adults 18+ only. If gambling is causing you harm, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 (free, 24/7).