Gambling law in Australia is a complex mix of federal and state rules that tightly control who can offer betting and gaming, how it is advertised and the protections that must be in place for players. For anyone interested in casino play, sports betting or online gambling, understanding this framework is essential to see what is legal, what is banned and why regulation looks different from one state or territory to another.
How gambling is regulated
Gambling in Australia is regulated at three levels: federal, state and territory, with no single national gambling act covering everything. Each of the eight states and territories has its own legislation and regulator overseeing land‑based casinos, poker machines, bookmakers and lotteries, while federal law focuses mainly on online gambling, advertising and financial crime controls.
Across all jurisdictions, the general principle is that gambling is unlawful unless it is specifically authorised by legislation, with licences and strict conditions attached to any legal operation. This structure allows each jurisdiction to shape gambling policy to local conditions while keeping national standards for areas such as anti‑money laundering and consumer protection.
Key federal laws
The most important federal statute for gambling is the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which regulates online gambling services offered to people in Australia. The Act makes it an offence for operators to offer or advertise real‑money online casino games, online poker and other interactive casino‑style services to Australian residents, regardless of whether the operator is located in Australia or offshore.
The IGA targets service providers rather than individual players, so Australians who access offshore sites are generally not committing an offence under this law. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) enforces the IGA, with powers to investigate, issue infringement notices, seek civil penalties and request internet service providers to block illegal gambling sites.
Online gambling and recent changes
Under the current federal framework, certain forms of online gambling are allowed, while others are clearly prohibited. Licensed Australian and overseas operators can offer online sports betting and race wagering to Australians, subject to holding the appropriate state or territory licence and complying with national consumer protection rules.
By contrast, online casino products such as digital roulette, blackjack, poker, “online pokies”, bingo and similar interactive games are banned from being legally provided to people in Australia. Recent reforms have strengthened enforcement, expanded penalties and clarified that using technologies like VoIP or workarounds to deliver in‑play betting and other restricted services is also illegal for operators.
State and territory control
While the Commonwealth deals with online services and some cross‑border issues, day‑to‑day regulation of land‑based gambling is handled by the states and territories. Each jurisdiction has its own collection of acts covering casinos, gaming machines, wagering, lotteries and community gambling, along with a dedicated regulator such as the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission or equivalent bodies elsewhere.
In practice this means that the number of casinos, the availability of poker machines outside casinos, opening hours, machine caps and local harm‑minimisation measures vary widely between places like New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Despite these differences, all regulators share common goals of ensuring games are honest, venues are properly supervised and gambling‑related harm is actively reduced.
Land‑based casinos and venues
Every state and territory has legislation specifically for casinos, usually titled Casino Control Act or similar, which sets out how licences are issued and monitored. These laws determine how many casinos can operate, who can own them, what games they can offer and what technical standards must apply to gaming equipment.
Outside casinos, separate statutes cover poker machines in clubs and hotels, keno, TAB outlets and betting shops, as well as community gambling like raffles and bingo. Venue operators must meet strict fit‑and‑proper tests, implement responsible gambling programs and comply with auditing and reporting requirements to keep their licences.
Licensing, compliance and enforcement
Running any gambling business in Australia requires a licence issued by the relevant state or territory, supported by detailed rules, codes of practice and technical standards. Licensing processes typically assess the applicant’s financial standing, integrity, governance structures and ability to manage risks like crime, money laundering and gambling harm.
Regulators carry extensive enforcement powers, including the ability to issue fines, suspend or cancel licences, impose special conditions, appoint managers and refer serious matters for criminal investigation. For online operators covered by federal law, civil penalties under the Interactive Gambling Act can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars per day for individuals and over a million dollars per day for companies.
Anti‑money laundering obligations
On top of gambling‑specific rules, operators must comply with the Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing Act 2006, which applies nationally. Casinos, betting agencies and most online wagering providers are “reporting entities” that must carry out customer identification, monitor transactions and report suspicious matters, threshold cash transactions and certain international movements.
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) supervises these obligations and has increased its focus on gambling in recent years, including enforcement actions for failures in due diligence and reporting. Updated rules also require online gambling providers to complete prescribed customer identification procedures before opening accounts or supplying services, reducing the risk of criminal misuse.
Advertising and inducements
Gambling advertising in Australia is regulated through a patchwork of federal broadcasting standards and state and territory restrictions. Federal rules limit when betting ads can appear during live sport and children’s programming, while many jurisdictions restrict promotional offers such as sign‑up bonuses, “free bets” and direct inducements to open new accounts.
There is active policy debate about the future of gambling advertising, with recent inquiries examining options such as tighter content rules, mandatory warnings and even phased bans on certain forms of promotion. Industry operators must track these developments closely, as changes at either level of government can significantly alter how gambling products may be marketed.
Player protections and self‑exclusion
Australian gambling law places growing emphasis on reducing harm through mandatory and voluntary measures. Venues and online providers must display clear information about odds, offer self‑exclusion options and provide access to support services for people experiencing gambling problems.
Recent reforms have seen the rollout of a National Self‑Exclusion Register for online wagering, allowing individuals to ban themselves from multiple licensed providers through a single process. In many states and territories, venue‑based self‑exclusion, mandatory staff training, limits on ATM access and requirements for responsible gambling officers form part of day‑to‑day compliance.
Taxation of gambling
Gambling taxation in Australia targets operators rather than players, with gamblers’ winnings generally not treated as taxable income. Because gambling is viewed as a recreational activity and highly volatile in outcome, the tax system focuses on capturing revenue from the businesses that run games rather than from individual wins.
Tax structures differ by state and by product, using combinations of turnover taxes, taxes on player loss, net profit taxes, levies and licence fees on casinos, poker machines, lotteries, racing and bookmakers. Rates and bases vary widely, which can affect where operators choose to locate and how different forms of gambling contribute to public revenue and community funds.
Unlawful gambling and penalties
Any gambling service offered without appropriate legislative authority or licence is considered unlawful. Unlicensed operators and venue owners can face criminal charges, significant fines, forfeiture of equipment and, in serious cases, imprisonment for those involved.
For online services, unlicensed operators targeting Australians risk civil penalties, enforcement by ACMA and website blocking, even if they are based overseas. State and territory laws also address illegal betting, unapproved gaming machines, underage gambling and breaches of venue licence conditions with escalating sanctions.
Future trends and reforms
Australian gambling law continues to evolve, driven by rapid growth in online betting, new technologies and community concerns about harm. Policymakers are actively reviewing areas such as in‑play betting, loot boxes and game‑like features, real‑time data use, advertising exposure and the effectiveness of existing consumer protections.
Further reforms are likely to tighten obligations on identity checks, data sharing, cross‑border enforcement and the monitoring of risky play, particularly in digital environments. Operators, players and affiliates need to stay alert to these developments, as changes to legislation, codes and enforcement priorities can reshape what is permitted in Australia’s gambling landscape.