Australia has some of the strictest rules on online casinos in the world. Federal law bans businesses from offering online pokies and casino table games to people in Australia, and it also bans advertising them. Sports betting, racing and lotteries are legal online through licensed local providers. This guide explains the legal position in plain terms, who enforces it, how winnings are taxed, what protections exist for players and where to get free help.
Are online casinos and online pokies legal in Australia?
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 makes it illegal for a business to provide online casino games to people in Australia. That covers online pokies, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and similar games played for money. There is no Australian licence for these games, so any site offering them to Australians is doing so unlawfully, wherever it is based and whatever foreign licence it holds.
Online sports betting, racing and lotteries are treated differently. Wagering providers licensed in an Australian state or territory may offer these services online, and they must follow the National Consumer Protection Framework for online wagering.
The law is aimed at operators and advertisers, not at individual players. Australians are not prosecuted for using an offshore casino. The practical risk sits with you instead: an offshore site is outside every Australian consumer protection, so if a payout is refused or an account is closed, no Australian regulator or ombudsman can step in.
Is it legal to advertise online casinos in Australia?
No. Part 7A of the Interactive Gambling Act makes it an offence to publish an advertisement for a prohibited interactive gambling service in Australia. The ban covers all media, including websites, social media and review sites, and applies to publishers as well as to the operators themselves.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has acted against affiliate sites that present themselves as independent casino reviews. In 2024 it asked internet service providers to block several such sites for promoting illegal online casinos to Australians. If you see a site promoting online pokies for real money to Australians, that is a sign it is operating outside the law.
Why are some gambling websites blocked in Australia?
ACMA enforces the Interactive Gambling Act. When it finds an illegal offshore gambling site, it can ask Australian internet service providers to block it, and it has been doing so since 2019. ACMA publishes a list of blocked websites, and it also keeps a register of licensed interactive wagering services.
Before you share personal or payment details with any gambling site, you can check both lists on acma.gov.au. A licensed wagering provider will appear on the register. A site on the blocked list is not permitted to offer its services in Australia.
- Find the full legal name of the company behind the site, usually in the footer or terms.
- Search for it on ACMA's register of licensed interactive wagering services.
- Check the name and web address against ACMA's list of blocked gambling websites.
- Confirm the site offers BetStop, which every licensed Australian wagering provider must support.
What protections do licensed Australian providers have to offer?
Licensed online wagering providers work under the National Consumer Protection Framework, which sets minimum standards for every customer. These tools are only guaranteed at licensed Australian providers, not at offshore sites.
- BetStop: the National Self-Exclusion Register, which blocks you from every licensed online and phone wagering provider in one step, for three months up to permanently
- Deposit limits that you can set at sign-up and change at any time, with increases delayed
- Activity statements showing your wins and losses
- Identity verification before you can bet, to keep minors out
- Consistent responsible gambling messages and a ban on lines of credit
- A ban on credit cards and credit-funded digital currency since June 2024
What are the risks of unlicensed online casinos?
An offshore casino may hold a licence from Curaçao, Malta or another jurisdiction, but that licence does not make it legal to offer games to Australians, and the foreign regulator has no duty to help you. If something goes wrong, your options are limited.
Common problems reported by players include withdrawals delayed or refused over bonus terms, accounts closed after a win, identity checks requested only at cash-out, and payment details shared with unknown processors. Offshore sites are also not connected to BetStop, so self-exclusion through the national register does not reach them.
Some Australian banks block payments to gambling sites that are not licensed in Australia. A declined payment is a warning sign rather than something to work around.
Do you pay tax on gambling winnings in Australia?
For recreational players, gambling winnings are not taxed in Australia. The Australian Taxation Office treats a win on the pokies, at the races or in a lottery as a windfall rather than income, so you do not declare it and you cannot claim losses.
The exception is gambling carried on as a business, in a systematic and organised way with the aim of making a profit. That is rare and difficult to show for games of chance. Interest you earn on winnings after you bank them is taxable as normal. If you are unsure, ask a registered tax agent.
Where can you get help with gambling in Australia?
Pokies and casino games are built to be fast and repetitive, which makes it easy to spend more time and money than you planned. You must be 18 or over to gamble in Australia, and it helps to set a budget and a time limit before you start.
Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential counselling 24 hours a day by phone on 1800 858 858, and by live chat or email at gamblinghelponline.org.au. Each state and territory also runs face-to-face counselling services, and the same line can refer you to them. Financial counsellors are available through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 if gambling has caused money problems.
To exclude yourself from all licensed online and phone wagering providers, register with BetStop at betstop.gov.au. Registration is free and takes a few minutes.
Myths vs facts
- Myth: A casino with a Curaçao or Malta licence is legal for Australians.
- Fact: A foreign licence does not permit an operator to offer online casino games in Australia. The Interactive Gambling Act bans these services for Australians regardless of where the operator is licensed.
- Myth: Australians can be fined for playing online pokies.
- Fact: The Interactive Gambling Act targets operators and advertisers, not players. The risk for players is losing money with no Australian body able to help.
- Myth: You have to pay tax on a big pokies win.
- Fact: Recreational gambling winnings are not taxed in Australia. Only gambling carried on as a business can be treated as income.
- Myth: BetStop blocks every gambling site.
- Fact: BetStop covers licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers. It does not reach illegal offshore casinos, which is one more reason they carry extra risk.
Before you claim
- Operator found on ACMA's register of licensed wagering services
- Site not on ACMA's blocked gambling list
- BetStop and deposit limits offered
- No credit card or credit-funded payments
- Budget and time limit set before playing
- Gambling Help Online number saved: 1800 858 858