Gambling in Australia in numbers: losses, pokies and who is at risk
Australians lost $33.0 billion on legal gambling in 2024–25. This guide gives every figure its year, source and meaning, and explains what the official statistics leave out.
Gambling regulation and player protection editor
Belinda Garside
Belinda Garside writes BonusOut's guides on gambling regulation, illegal offshore operators and player protection in Australia. She is from Wollongong. She started out in office administration at a law firm and later spent years handling customer complaints at a licensed wagering provider. The same point kept coming up in those complaints: the customer thought the site was Australian. Since 2019 she has written about what the *Interactive Gambling Act 2001* prohibits, how the ACMA deals with illegal offshore websites and what BetStop does and does not cover. She also checks the sections on licences and player protection in BonusOut's reviews. Her guides give general information and are not legal advice.
- info@bonusout-au.com
- Topics
- the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and what it prohibits · licensed and unlicensed providers · blocked websites and the ACMA · withheld winnings and complaints · BetStop and self-exclusion · gambling harm and where to get help
Offshore gambling licences: what a Curaçao or Anjouan licence means in Australia
A Curaçao or Anjouan licence is issued under that place’s own law and is not an Australian licence. This guide sets out what each issuer says about its reach, what the ACMA checks, how to check a licence claim and where to complain or get help.
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How the ACMA blocks illegal gambling websites
ACMA blocked gambling sites are websites the regulator has asked internet providers to block in Australia. This guide explains the legal basis, how a block happens, how to read the ACMA's list and what a block means for an account and its balance.
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Betting and sports investment scams: the numbers and the warning signs
Betting scams in Australia cost $2.4 million in reported losses in 2025, according to the ACCC. This guide sets out the numbers, how fake pokies sites work, the warning signs and where to report a scam or get help.
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How to check whether a betting site is licensed in Australia
Licensed betting sites in Australia can be checked in two official lists: the ACMA register and the list kept by the authority that issued the licence. This guide sets out five steps, what does not prove a licence and what to do with the result.
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Complain about a betting company in Australia: who to contact
A complaint about a betting company in Australia goes to the licensing authority; a complaint about an illegal site goes to the ACMA. This guide sets out who deals with what, the Northern Territory time limits and what no regulator can do.
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The credit card ban for online betting and how you can pay
Licensed online and phone betting providers cannot accept a credit card, funds linked to one or digital currency. This guide sets out what the ban covers and who it binds, what the ACMA checked, what stays open and where PayID scams start.
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Can your bank block gambling transactions?
A bank gambling block stops most card payments to gambling merchants, but removing it takes 48 hours or more. This guide compares ANZ, CommBank, NAB and Westpac, according to each bank.
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How to help someone experiencing gambling harm
Who to call, what to look for, how to start the conversation and how to protect your own money when someone close to you is experiencing gambling harm. Free and confidential support in Australia is open to family and friends too.
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Playing at an offshore casino: what the law covers and what you risk
Is it illegal to play online casino in Australia? The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 is written for providers, while the ACMA warns players that regulators cannot help at illegal services. This guide sets out the law, the risks, the steps if money is stuck and where to get help.
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Are online casinos and online pokies legal in Australia?
Online casinos and online pokies are banned services under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and the Act is written for the companies that offer them. This guide sets out what is prohibited, what is licensed instead, what the ACMA does and what the ban means for money paid to an offshore website.
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BetStop: how it works and what it doesn’t cover
BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, blocks a person from every licensed online and phone wagering provider in Australia. This guide covers registration, what happens next, where the register stops and how to cancel early.
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Gambling ad ban Australia: what changes from 1 January 2027
Parliament passed the gambling reform in August 2026 and most measures are due to start on 1 January 2027. This guide compares today's rules for betting ads with the 2027 changes, explains the opt-out register and shows where to complain.
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Online casino won't pay out in Australia: what you can do
When an online casino won't pay out in Australia, the ACMA says regulators cannot help and the money is unlikely to come back. This guide sets out the steps that limit further loss, and what the ACMA, your bank, AFCA and Scamwatch can and cannot do.
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Do you pay tax on gambling winnings in Australia?
Are gambling winnings taxed in Australia? For most people the ATO does not count them as income. This guide covers lotto prizes, losses, crypto, gambling run as a business and where the rule stops.
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