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Legal Info for AU Casino Players: Is Online Gambling Legal in Australia? 2026

It is worth noting also that significant fines in the hundreds of millions have been levied against the Vic, NSW and Qld casino licensees to date and other fines are possible as regulatory processes continue. Separately, SkyCity Group (SA) was ordered by the Federal Court to pay a $67 million penalty in June 2024, after AUSTRAC launched civil penalty proceedings against it for breaches of the AML/CTF legislation. Other regulatory action has been taken for responsible gambling, advertising-related and other matters. This has included action taken by AUSTRAC in relation to casino licensees in Vic, NSW, Qld, WA and also SA examining money laundering issues (including those concerning ‘junket operators’). The ACMA has also been particularly active in relation to enforcement action in connection with spam legislation where infringements by a number of wagering operators have been identified.
The Victorian regulator subsequently announced in March 2024 that it was satisfied that Crown Melbourne was suitable to operate the casino and that it was in the public interest for the casino licence to remain in force. Casinos are generally subject to periodic Licence reviews (often every five years). In relation to wagering and betting, apart from the NT (where the licences expire in 2035) and WA (where Retail Wagering and betting is operated by the state), the expiry dates of current Retail Wagering Licences are also similarly long-dated and range between 2044 and 2100. The duration of major operator licences depends upon the legislative framework in the relevant state or territory and is subject to possible change upon a licence renewal or new licence being issued. An application for a Corporate Bookmaker Licence issued in the NT, or an application for an On-course Bookmaker Licence, typically takes between three and six months for approval and can be made at any time. The number of licences available are limited and there are typically only one per state and territory (except in the case of current casino licences held in each of Qld, NT and NSW, the two recently issued Vic keno licences, and potentially for new wagering licences) and the processes are very infrequent.
On-course Bookmakers offer substantially the same fixed-odds betting on-course and, subject to approval, also over the telephone and in some instances online. Corporate Bookmakers are licensed to offer fixed-odds betting on racing, sport and other approved events online and over the telephone. Casino licences provide that casinos are only permitted to offer casino games and gaming machines to patrons present within the casino. Gaming machine and other equipment manufacturers, software developers and technical services suppliers selling products and/or services used for gambling-related activities typically have perpetual licences, which are often administrative in nature and remain on issue, subject to the payment of periodic fees. Gaming machine permits/licences have typically been perpetual in Australia, other than in certain states such as Vic, which operate for 20 years from August 2022 onwards. In the case of lotteries, aside from Tas (which operates under renewable five-year permits linked to Victorian and Queensland licences) and WA (where lotteries are owned and operated by the state), the expiry dates are generally shorter than in relation to Retail Wagering; however, they still range between 2024 and 2072.
Various states (including NSW and Vic) have implemented harm minimisation measures to cap the number of gaming machine permits/licences on issue in certain lower socio-economic areas. Gaming machine and other equipment manufacturers, software developers and technical services suppliers selling products and/or services used for gambling-related activities are also required to hold a relevant licence (including providers of gaming machine monitoring services). There are often strict local government planning requirements that must be met in relation to gaming machines. State and territory lotteries engage in pooling arrangements pursuant to what is known as ‘bloc agreements’, under which jackpots are pooled, making the customer offering more attractive. On-course Bookmakers holding an On-course Bookmaker Licence offer fixed-odds betting at racecourses and, where appropriately licensed, over the telephone and via the internet. Similarly, a skill game with no element of chance is also not considered gambling and does not require any licence, unless it is operated online and falls within certain ‘interactive gaming’ regimes regulated by state and territory gambling regulators. In relation to hotels and clubs, a venue requires both a gaming venue licence and also a permit/licence for each gaming machine a venue operates.
Despite these enforcement measures, many overseas operators continue to target Australian online casino ranking players, often exploiting legal loopholes or operating from jurisdictions with lax regulatory oversight. In regard to lotteries in NSW, the Public Lotteries Act 1996 requires the provider of lottery, including an online lottery, to be authorised if the total prize value exceeds $30,000. The Northern Territory is unique in that it also has an established scheme for corporate bookmakers, issuing licenses for general online sports betting, including fantasy sports betting, which are not covered in other jurisdictions. Most jurisdictions focus their regulation on the authorisation of providers for online and offline betting and lottery services. Instead, it prohibits companies from offering certain types of online gambling (like casino games and poker) to people in Australia, unless they are licensed and regulated.
State and territory taxation on casinos is determined on a case-by-case basis (typically during negotiations with the relevant state or territory government at the time). Separately, the CCA imposes penalties for, amongst other things, misleading and deceptive conduct (including through advertising). Lotteries licensees can offer their approved lottery products through retail newsagencies, other approved retail venues, third-party agents, resellers and also online. The NICC did, however, impose a fine of AUS $15 million on account of four breaches of regulatory requirements.
Our top picks, like Sky Crown Casino and Ricky Casino, meet these standards, providing AUD-friendly platforms with secure, audited games and bonuses up to AU$7,500 + 550 free spins. Each Australian state and territory has its own gambling authority overseeing land-based and permitted online gambling activities (e.g., sports betting, lotteries). Since 2017, ACMA has blocked over 1000 illegal sites, ensuring only licensed operators thrive. Australian gambling laws are strict, but players can still enjoy legal online casinos. ICLG’s in-house editorial team carefully reviews and edits each chapter, updated annually, and audits each one for originality, relevance and style, including anti-plagiarism and AI-detection tools.
What appetite for and track record of enforcement does your local regulatory authority have? State and territory laws often also contain a range of offences in relation to unlawful gambling, which can include organising the unlawful event, as well as participating in it. Whilst federal, state and territory laws and regulations are often capable of being contravened by directors and other officers of licensees, recent regulatory action has been taken against corporate licensees only. Such betting is limited to telephone betting and betting within a Retail Wagering environment. Casino licensees cannot offer online casino games in Australia (it is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act, which also prohibits online poker). Are there any specific licensing or operational requirements for operators accepting digital currencies (including cryptocurrencies)? The use of cryptocurrency for online wagering was recently prohibited following amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act.