Online gambling in Australia is growing rapidly, and it provides a considerable number of games for casino games players to try their luck. The industry is growing as new online casinos are born and new games are continuously rolled out with an expected growth rate of more than 7 percent in the next 5 years. Yet, if you want to explore this space, you must have knowledge on how legal online gambling works in Australia. Know if you can play at legal Australian online casinos? In this guide, we'll explore Australian gambling laws so you can still play at your favorite online platforms.
Before you start looking around in the world of Australian online casinos, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the country’s gambling regulations. The Australian players are protected and the legal gambling activities take place with strict rules. Controls have been on the books since the nation's first legal casino opened.
Today more and more Australians are getting hooked to online gambling, because they have access to their favourite casino games and sports betting options with just a click of a button. This convenience comes with due risks, especially for such players. To deal with these issues, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) was made.
The IGA 2001 lays down guidelines for firms that cater to the gambling services in Australia. Such rules establish rules about advertising and the operation of gambling platforms including websites, apps and social media channels. The aim is to limit the risk of disease particularly problem gambling among players.
The IGA 2001 is a national framework legislation, but is not the only legislation governing gambling. Over and above the laws that each state and territory enforces, each state and territory also has laws they enforce related to gambling activities. In the next section, we will look at these specific regulations.
| State/Territory | Regulatory Overview |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Gambling activities in New South Wales are managed by the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling. |
| Victoria | The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) is in charge of overseeing gambling operations in the state. |
| Queensland | Queensland’s gambling industry is regulated by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR). |
| Western Australia | Online gambling in Western Australia falls under the supervision of the Department of Racing, Gaming, and Liquor (RGL). |
| South Australia | The Independent Gambling Authority (IGA) is responsible for regulating gambling activities in South Australia. |
| Tasmania | The Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission (TLGC) handles online gambling regulations in the state. |
| Northern Territory | The Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC) oversees digital gambling activities in the NT. |
| Australian Capital Territory | The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission monitors gambling and racing operations within the ACT. |
The Australian operators are strictly prohibited from providing digital gambling service under the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA). No Australian casino can be legally operated or provide its services online. The restricted activities include:
However, if you’re playing real money online casino Australia, you’re doing it legally if your casino is licensed by a recognized authority, for example, Curacao eGaming, Malta Gaming Authority, or Kahnawake Gaming Commission. These licenses guarantee international gambling standards compliance.
And operators must get licenses from state or territory regulatory bodies to carry out online sports betting then there are strict market requirements for them. Responsible gambling measures include use of self exclusion tools, age verification and promoting responsible gambling in all advertisements.
Since online lotteries and keno fall under separate licensing regulations, they must also be fair and protect consumers the same as local lotteries. They must also give out tools for responsible gambling, prevent age vulnerability, limit advertising, and are obligated to enforce what is fair.
Most social gaming sites operate outside gambling regulation and are not subject to real money transactions. Real money elements or gaming ones, however, may attract the attention of the regulatory authorities. Skill based games, where the outcome does not depend on luck, but instead player skill, are not gambling under Australian Law except where wagering is involved.
When you play in real money, the online casinos in Australia that allow you to use funds from your bankroll, will be legal under one condition, to use the platform, it must hold a license from some recognized authority, with a number of examples being Curacao eGaming, Malta Gaming Authority or Kahnawake Gaming Commission. These are licenses that will ensure they also comply with international gambling standards.
In online sports betting, operators have to get their licenses from state or territory regulatory bodies, and strictly follow the rules. This includes responsible gambling measures like self exclusion tools, age verification and making advertising contain information about safe gambling.
Like online lotteries and keno, online gambling must be licensed to satisfy regulations in the local jurisdiction and serve the interests of the consumer. Responsibility for keeping vulnerable players safe demands that operators provide tools, age restrict, and limit advertising.
Social gaming sites that aren’t about making real money tend to operate without getting hung up in the gambling regulations. But platforms offering real money, or gambling features, could be regulated however. At present, skill based games, where outcomes are based on player skill rather than chance, are not gambling under Australian law unless there is a wager involved.
Online gambling looks bright in the future for Australia with operators building better platforms, making more interesting and immersive providers. Due to this demand, there is need for interactive gambling options encouraging the players to play, compete with others. Virtual reality (VR) is also becoming popular among many casinos to make gaming a thrill.
Gambling regulations are up in the air. Another area that publishers will be taking on the regulation of loot boxes and other in game gambling features, which will have an impact on younger players. On top of that, AI technology will be responsible for helping online casino security to escalate with 24/7 monitoring that will effectively detect any frauds and suspicious activities.
