Can you use a credit card to bet online in Australia? Not with a licensed provider. Under the credit card gambling ban, licensed providers of online and telephone betting have not been allowed since 11 June 2024 to accept a credit card, funds linked to a credit card or digital currency, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The rule applies to the provider, not the customer.

A provider that breaks it faces fines of up to $234,750, the figure the government gave when the ban began. This guide sets out what the ban covers, who it applies to, what the ACMA has checked and what the rule leaves open. It also explains how PayID works and where PayID scams start.

What the credit card gambling ban covers and when it began

The ban comes from the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Act 2023, listed on the Federal Register of Legislation as Act No 114 of 2023. It received royal assent on 11 December 2023. The Act added a new Part 2B to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, headed ‘Prohibitions relating to credit and digital currency for certain interactive wagering services’, according to the register's contents page. The headings are all the register shows here.

The government described a six-month transition period after assent (Minister for Communications, media release). The ACMA gives the start date as 11 June 2024. It lists three banned methods (ACMA, as at 5 October 2026):

  • ‘a credit card’
  • ‘funds linked to a credit card (including digital wallets)’
  • ‘digital currency (such as cryptocurrency)’

The Senate committee's report on the 2023 bill describes the same three methods. It adds a fourth category, a method of a kind the Minister determines by legislative instrument (Senate committee report, chapter 1). The report describes a bill, not the Act as passed. The sources used here do not show whether the Minister has added any method, so this guide relies on the ACMA's list of three.

Who the ban applies to – and who it does not

The ban applies to providers. The ACMA says it covers ‘online and telephone betting services, including those provided by on-course bookmakers’. The rule is aimed at the provider, not at the person placing a bet. The sources used here say nothing about consequences for a customer who tries to pay by credit card.

Lotteries sit outside the ban. The ACMA says it ‘will not apply to other gambling products such as lotteries’, and the Senate committee report says lotteries and games of mixed skill and chance are excluded from the definition of wagering services. That answers a common search about credit cards and online lotto. It does not say what any lottery seller accepts, which is the seller's decision.

The government gave its reason in the media release that marked the start of the ban. The release says ‘Australians should not be gambling with money they do not have’ and describes the change as aligning online wagering with land-based gambling rules, where credit card use is banned. Wagering is the term used for licensed betting on sport and racing.

The ban is a condition on licensed betting providers. It does not turn other websites into licensed ones. The ACMA says online casinos are among the services the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 bans providers from offering (ACMA, as at 5 October 2026), so a casino website sits outside the licensing system this guide describes. For how licensing works and how to check it, see what is licensed in Australia and how to check it.

What the ACMA checks and what a breach costs a provider

The government said a provider that breaks the ban faces fines of up to $234,750. The Senate committee gave the underlying figure as 750 penalty units, ‘approximately $234,750 as of August 2023’. The dollar value is a 2023 conversion. The sources used here give no current figure.

The same media release says the Act expanded the ACMA's powers to enforce its civil penalty provisions. What the ACMA has found in practice is set out in its own report.

The ACMA reported its own check in its 2024–25 compliance priority report, published in October 2025. In March 2025 it reviewed the terms and conditions of licensed providers and found 50 services that still referred to credit card or crypto deposit methods. It contacted each provider. By 30 June 2025 all had removed those references. The ACMA recorded ‘a very high level of compliance with the credit card and crypto ban, with no investigations commenced’ (ACMA compliance priority report, October 2025).

The figure of 50 counts mentions in terms and conditions. It does not count payments accepted. The report covers 2024–25, and the sources used here show no later check.

If a betting company has offered you credit, the ACMA says you can make a complaint and can choose to remain anonymous.

The older rule: betting companies cannot lend you money

The 2024 ban added to an earlier rule. According to the ACMA, it is illegal for gambling operators to provide credit to customers in Australia or to help them access credit, for example through third parties such as payday lenders (ACMA, as at 6 October 2026). Providers also must not promote or offer credit for online sports betting (ACMA, as at 5 October 2026).

Read together, the two rules close two routes. A provider cannot lend you the stake, and it cannot take the stake from a credit card. Both rules fall on the provider.

Paying with your own money and the identity check

This guide gives general information and is not legal or financial advice. No official list of permitted payment methods appears in the ACMA's pages or in the Senate committee report. This guide therefore describes the ban from the other side.

The ACMA lists three banned methods. A debit card draws on money already in your account, and it is not on that list. A transfer from your own bank account is not on it either. That is a description of what the ban leaves out, not a list of approved methods. Which methods a provider takes is the provider's decision.

Digital wallets need care. The ACMA bans funds linked to a credit card, including digital wallets. The sources used here do not say what applies to a wallet linked to a debit card, so this guide makes no claim either way.

Money is not the only gate. From 29 September 2024, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) says all online gambling service providers must complete a customer identity check before creating an online gambling account or providing a designated service. The provider must be ‘reasonably satisfied that the customer is who they claim to be’ (AUSTRAC, as at 5 October 2026). The sources used here do not list the documents a provider may ask for. Without a verified identity there is no account, and so no deposit.

PayID: what it does and where scams start

PayID is run by Australian Payments Plus. It links an easy-to-remember detail, such as a mobile number, email address or Australian Business Number (ABN), to a bank account, and it is offered by over 100 financial institutions (Australian Payments Plus, as at 5 October 2026). It usually sits under the ‘Pay Anyone’ option in internet banking.

Its protective feature is a name check. Before you send money, the name linked to the PayID appears, which helps protect you from fraud, scams and mistaken payments according to the operator. Read that name before you confirm. If it is not the person or business you expect, stop.

PayID is a way of addressing a bank transfer. It says nothing about who receives the money or what they do with it. Money sent to the wrong person is not always recoverable. For a mistaken payment, Moneysmart says ‘the sooner you contact your bank, the more likely you are to get your money back’ (Moneysmart, as at 5 October 2026).

The operator lists four statements that mark a scam:

  1. PayID will never contact you directly, ‘not ever’.
  2. Emails or text messages claiming to be from PayID are a scam.
  3. PayID will never ask you to send money in order to receive money.
  4. PayID will never ask you to ‘upgrade your account’.

Scamwatch adds two warning signs. If someone asks you to set up a new bank account or PayID in order to pay them, or to be paid by them, that is a clear sign to be suspicious. If a person asks you to pay with preloaded debit cards, iTunes cards or virtual currency such as Bitcoin, chances are it is a scam (Scamwatch, as at 5 October 2026).

Digital currency and online betting

The ACMA's term is ‘digital currency (such as cryptocurrency)’, and it is one of the three banned methods for licensed online and telephone betting. The ACMA's 2025 check found references to crypto deposit methods in the terms of some providers, and all were removed by 30 June 2025.

A licensed wagering provider is not permitted to accept digital currency. A website that asks for a deposit in it is therefore worth a second look at its licence. The ACMA warns that if you gamble online using a company that operates illegally, you risk losing your money (ACMA, as at 5 October 2026).

The tax treatment of winnings paid in crypto is a separate question and is not covered here.

Where your own money is the problem

The credit card ban limits how a bet is paid for. It does not address harm from gambling with money a person does have. A person experiencing gambling harm has other tools. Blocking gambling transactions at the bank is one, described in blocking gambling transactions with your bank. BetStop is another, covered in how BetStop self-exclusion works and what it covers. BetStop closes accounts with licensed providers. The ban only limits how those accounts are funded.

The ministers responsible announced a gambling reform bill on 2 July 2026. According to the media release, the bill would allow banks and payment systems to block transactions to illegal gambling operators (Ministers for the Department of Social Services, 2 July 2026). The sources used here give no start date for that measure and show no change to the credit card ban.

If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 is free and confidential. Gambling Help Online offers the same help online. A debt built on a card can be raised with the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. More options are in where to get help for gambling harm.

Reporting a credit offer and finding support

If a licensed betting company has offered you credit or accepted a credit card despite the credit card ban, the ACMA is the place to make a complaint.

  1. Note the date, the company and what was offered or accepted.
  2. Make a complaint to the ACMA. You can choose to remain anonymous.
  3. If a payment looks like a scam, report it to Scamwatch and contact your bank straight away.

If a licensed betting provider refuses a credit card, that is likely the ban at work rather than a payment fault.

The National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 offers free and confidential support, and the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 can help with money worries. Lifeline on 13 11 14 is there in a crisis.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a credit card for online betting in Australia?

No, not with a licensed provider of online or telephone betting. From 11 June 2024 the ACMA says such providers cannot accept a credit card, funds linked to one or digital currency. The rule applies to the provider.

When did the credit card ban for online betting start?

On 11 June 2024, according to the ACMA. The Act received royal assent on 11 December 2023, and the government described a six-month transition period before the credit card ban took effect.

Does the credit card ban apply to lotteries?

No. The ACMA says the ban does not apply to other gambling products such as lotteries. What a lottery seller accepts is the seller's decision.

Can I use a digital wallet linked to my credit card?

The ACMA lists funds linked to a credit card, including digital wallets, as banned. The sources used here do not say what applies to a wallet linked to a debit card.

Is crypto banned for online betting in Australia?

For licensed online and telephone betting, yes. The ACMA lists digital currency, such as cryptocurrency, as a banned method from 11 June 2024, and providers had removed references to it from their terms by 30 June 2025.

Is PayID safe to use?

PayID shows the name linked to a PayID before you send money, which helps protect against mistaken payments and fraud. It does not tell you what the recipient will do with the money. Scams often start with a request to set up a new PayID.

What happens if a betting company accepts a credit card?

The company faces fines of up to $234,750, the figure the government gave in 2023. The sources used here describe no consequence for the customer.

Who do I complain to if a betting company offers me credit?

The ACMA. You can make a complaint to the regulator about the offer and choose to remain anonymous. Keep a note of the date, the company and what was offered.

Do I have to prove my identity before I can open a betting account?

Yes. From 29 September 2024, AUSTRAC says online gambling providers must complete an identity check before creating an account. Without a verified identity there is no account, and so no deposit.

Sources

All pages were checked on 5 October 2026, except the ACMA page on offering or promoting credit, which was checked on 6 October 2026. The full text of Part 2B of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 could not be opened, so section numbers are not cited.

Facts in this guide were checked against the sources above as of 5 October 2026. Where the official pages say nothing, the guide says so. Last updated 6 October 2026.