- Australian Gambling Websites Online
- Australian Gambling Websites Sites
- Australian Gambling Websites Free
Our Top Picks for the Land Down Under.
Australians love to gamble, whether it involves playing at an upscale casino or wagering on the results of a coin toss down at the pub. Online gambling in Australia has also been on the rise in recent years, a trend that's expected to continue as more residents obtain Internet service or mobile devices.
Best Australia Gambling Sites of 2020 – We like to gather together lists of top gambling websites, and this time we've done the same for our Australian visitors. Without further ado, here's our list of best gambling sites for Australia.
What Do These Sites Have In Common?
- All Aussie-friendly deposit methods available (like POLi and Paysafecard).
- Great promotions, great software, great service.
- Each of these sites caters to customers from !
Online gambling in Australia has also been on the rise in recent years, a trend that's expected to continue as more residents obtain Internet service or mobile devices. Best Australia Gambling Sites of 2020 – We like to gather together lists of top gambling websites, and this time we've done the same for our Australian visitors.
Our Top Recommended Australia Gambling Sites
2020's Top Australian Sports Betting Sites Sports betting in Australia is massive. But with so many sports betting sites around, it can be hard to know which site is the best one to try out first. Gambling Help Online provides free support for anyone affected by gambling in Australia. Chat counselling, email support and self-help services are available 24/7. Website & banking security – Australian gambling sites must keep your personal and financial details safe. You can vet casino sites in each of these areas on your own. Then our new online casino Australia checklist above is a great reminder of what to look for. Australian online betting websites are some of the most well-regulated, safe, and secure sites in the world. All of the sites reviewed by us are licensed to operate within Australia and use the latest security features to protect their assets and users. Are Australian Betting Sites Safe?
Rank | Site | Play | Bonus |
---|---|---|---|
100% up to €250
| |||
200% up to €500
| |||
100% up to €400
| |||
100% up to €300
| |||
100% up to €400
|
The Cost of Aussie Gambling
According to recent studies, the average Australian resident spends AUD $1,172 on gambling each year. More than 80% of the population engages in some form of gaming, with annual losses falling into the range of $20 billion. In 2014, the gambling industry generated $5.44 billion in tax revenue for the nation.
While the largest percentage of yearly gaming expenditures go to land-based options such as pokies (slot machines), the online industry is beginning to close the gap. Australians spend AUD $960 million annually on Internet gambling, with more than half of this going to licensed virtual bookmakers.
Most residents view online and land-based gaming as harmless fun, but opponents point to a number of causes for concern. Gamblers who play on a weekly basis are estimated to spend around AUD $7,000 annually, and those with addictions can run through almost $1,500 per hour (with an average loss of $21,000 per year).
Teenagers are also becoming more involved in online gambling, with a recent poll finding that 2% have tried real-money gaming sites. Considering that 18 to 24-year-olds play pokies more than any other age group, it's not surprising that the younger generation would quickly turn to the Internet as their source of entertainment.
Why do Australians Love to Gamble?
There are two main schools of thought on this subject. The first involves the history of the nation and a long-standing idea of 'big risk, big reward.' Settling Australia was no easy task, and those involved often faced a hardscrabble and sometimes lawless existence. Gambling was a way to pass the time, and it also held the promise of immediately improving their lot in life (at least for a little while).
This acceptance (and sometimes love) of gambling has been passed down through the generations. While their counterparts from other nations carefully watch bank balances and fret over every expense, the classic Aussie throws caution to the wind, risks his paycheck on a potential profit, and then buys a pint for his mates.
The second opinion on the subject has to do with money and marketing. Pokies and other gaming options are available in hotels, pubs, and other public places, so the average Aussie is constantly bombarded with opportunities to gamble. Combine this with the government's reluctance to interfere with a cash cow that generates billions in tax revenue, as well as no taxes on player winnings, and you have a situation where residents become willing slaves to the gaming industry.
Interactive Gambling Act of 2001
The most significant piece of Australian legislation involving online gaming is the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. Put in place by the Commonwealth Parliament to protect citizens, it prohibits Australian-based companies from offering Internet gaming to residents. For those who enjoy virtual gambling, however, there are a number of convenient exceptions.
Firstly, offshore gambling sites may legally offer their services to Australian players. However, they may not advertise their sites via radio, television, or billboard ads.
Sportsbooks and lotteries operate under a different set of rules. If either one of these services is licensed to operate a land-based business in an Australian state or territory, then they may also provide a virtual counterpart for customers within the licensed region.
If an online casino wants to base its operations in Australia, it can legally offer its services to players residing in other countries. The only exception involves nations that prohibit offshore gambling and have sent a formal request to Aussie authorities.
Stiff financial penalties are in place for any operation found in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act. Individuals directly involved with the offending organization can be fined up to $220,000 per day, while the actual company faces a $1.1 million daily penalty.
Online Regulation in Australia
The nation's most important piece of legislation involving gambling was put into place by the Commonwealth of Australia, but territories and states usually have free reign to make their own decisions. If you'd like to know more about the land-based and online gambling regulations within a specific part of Australia, I suggest visited the official website of one of the following government bodies:
- The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (Richmond, Victoria)
- Tasmanian Gaming Commission (Hobart, Tasmania)
- Independent Gambling Authority (Adelaide, South Australia)
- Office of Liquor, Gaming, and Racing (Haymarket, New South Wales)
- Department of Racing, Gaming, and Liquor (East Perth, Western Australia)
- Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (Brisbane, Queensland)
- ACT Gambling and Racing Commission (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)
Please note that the Northern Territory isn't included on the above list. Oversight in this region for everything from prostitution to gambling was once overseen by the Licensing Commission, which existed from 2000 to 2014. This commission has been abolished, however, and replaced with a position known as the Director-General of Licensing. At this time, no website exists for the individual or their office.
Conclusion
To the best of our knowledge (disclaimer: we're not lawyers and this information is for entertainment-purposes only), online gambling in Australia is legal, but there are certain requirements that need to be met. An Aussie-based gaming site can offer their business to foreign clients, but homegrown customers are prohibited. Gaming sites outside of Oz are perfectly within the law, and they can provide services to any citizen that meets the minimum age requirement.
Australia has yet to fully embrace online gambling. It has made progress when compared to the United States, but is far behind European countries.
The main form of legislation that covers online gambling in Australia is the Interactive Gambling Act. It was enacted in 2001. The Act only covers the actions of companies offering gambling, not players. Australia law forbids the marketing of unregulated online forms of gambling. No such law covers the action of players at gaming sites.
Sports betting, racing and lotteries are the only forms of online gambling that are legal under the Interactive Gambling Act. There are restrictions on what companies may spread in terms of games.
Which online gambling games are legal in Australia?
[toc]There are no legal restrictions on the games available to players. Online poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, slots, video poker and table games that include cards are all legal to play. Companies that offer these games may not advertise to Australian residents. This means that no licensed sites spread poker and casino games.
The main internet games specifically permitted by law to Australian betting shops involve sports and racing. Traditional pari-mutuel betting on horses is legal for online betting. Sports wagers that involve straight bets, parlays, teasers and futures are also completely legal. The only sports betting niche not legal under the Interactive Gambling Act in on-play.
Interactive Gambling Act
Australia passed the Interactive Gambling Act in 2001. The country enacted this law to deal with the explosion of online gambling during that era. The Interactive Gambling Act banned companies from marketing online poker and casino games. It effectively barred Australian gaming companies from accepting players from within the country for those services.
(1) For the purposes of this Act, an excluded wagering service is:
(a) a service to the extent to which it relates to betting on, or on a series of, any or all of the following:
(i) a horse race;
(ii) a harness race;
(iii) a greyhound race;
(iv) a sporting event;
(b) a service to the extent to which it relates to betting on:
(i) an event; or
(ii) a series of events; or
(iii) a contingency;
that is not covered by paragraph (a).
Australian gambling sites are specifically permitted to offer poker and casino games to players outside of the country. The main condition of this exclusion is that these sites must add other countries to the excluded list upon request from the government.
This did little to prevent online gambling in Australia. Online poker and casino sites located outside the country entered it and accepted Australian players. This annoyed local betting shops that were unable to accept players at restricted games from inside the country.
Australian betting companies are permitted to enter sports betting and racing. Those forms of gaming have a long history of popularity in Australia. Companies that operate bricks-and-mortar shops may accept online sports wagers.
The only exception to the online sports betting exemption is in-play betting. This is where bets are placed on games that are in-progress. This type of wager is illegal over the Internet in Australia, as noted in the quoted law below. They are accepted in person and over the phone. This restriction does not seem to apply to 'Click to call' apps that basically provide a workaround to the online restriction by using voice instead of clicks to place wagers.
(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to a service unless such other conditions (if any) as are specified in the regulations have been satisfied.
(2) Paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) do not apply to a service to the extent to which:
(a) the service relates to betting on the outcome of a sporting event, where the bets are placed, made, received or accepted after the beginning of the event; or
(b) the service relates to betting on a contingency that may or may not happen in the course of a sporting event, where the bets are placed, made, received or accepted after the beginning of the event.
Australia has yet to pursue offshore operators of poker and casino sites. It does not seem to be a priority for the government. There is talk about modifying the Interactive Gambling Act to help it apply better to the constantly evolving online gaming market.
Potential player safety situation caused by Interactive Gambling Act
One of the biggest problems with the Interactive Gambling Act is that it prevents brands familiar with Australian players from participating in the country's internet poker and casino industry. This opens the door for offshore sites that feel that they are outside of the enforcement arm of Australian law. While many poker and casino sites that accept Australian players are legitimate, there are some that are scams that operate with the sole intent of stealing deposited funds from players.
The lack of access to this market by companies in Australia makes it possible for dodgy operators to enter the market. There is no gaming commission to punish rogue operators. Players have no recourse if they become victims of a scheme.
Australian Online Betting FAQ
Is online sports betting legal in Australia?
Yes. Most Australian betting shops offer internet sites.
Is online horse racing legal in Australia?
Yes. The same companies that offer online sports betting also accept wagers on horse races.
What sites accept sports bets from Australian players?
Betway,Bet365, William Hill and Ladbrokes are among the most popular Australian betting sites.
Australian Gambling Websites Online
Is online poker legal in Australia?
Online poker is not technically illegal in Australia. Offshore companies that do not market gambling operate in a gray area. Companies located in Australia may not.
Australian Gambling Websites Sites
Are online casino games legal in Australia?
The same online poker gray area applies to casino games. All sites are located offshore similar to New Zealand.
Have any online poker or casino operators been convicted in Australia?
Australian Gambling Websites Free
The Australian government has never taken legal action against offshore gambling sites.