Licensed gambling in Australia: what is licensed and how to check

In Australia, gambling is licensed by governments, not by the businesses that offer it. A licence names a provider, a regulator and a set of rules, and it can be checked in an official source. This page explains what is licensed, who issues licences, why there is no list of licensed online casinos here, and how you can check a provider yourself.

BonusOut is an information website. We do not operate gambling, we do not issue licences and nothing on this page recommends a provider. This page gives general information and is not legal advice.

What an Australian gambling licence means

A licence is approval from a government regulator to offer a particular type of gambling. It is issued to a named company, for named activities, and the regulator can attach conditions to it. In practice, a licence means two things for you: there is an authority that supervises the provider, and there are written rules the provider can be measured against.

Licensing is not a quality mark. It tells you who is responsible for a provider. It does not tell you that gambling with that provider is safe, or that you will win or be paid.

What is licensed and what is not

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (the Act) is the federal law on online gambling. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) lists the services it prohibits as including 'online casinos, in-play sports betting, sports betting services which do not hold an Australian licence, betting on the outcome of a lottery'. The ACMA also lists slots (pokies) and casino-style games such as poker, blackjack and roulette among the illegal online services.

Sources: ACMA – about the Interactive Gambling Act, ACMA – protect yourself from illegal gambling operators, GambleAware NSW – online gambling and AIHW – gambling, checked on 6 October 2026.

The Act sets rules for whoever provides a service. For questions about your own situation, speak to a lawyer.

Who issues licences

Gambling licences are issued by the states and territories. Many online wagering providers are licensed in the Northern Territory, where the territory government publishes a list of licensed wagering operators. Other regulators include Liquor & Gaming NSW and the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).

The ACMA does not issue these licences. Its role is to enforce the Act, to investigate illegal services and to ask internet service providers to block illegal offshore gambling websites.

Why we do not list licensed online casinos

Some websites promise a list of 'licensed Australian online casinos'. We do not publish one, because online casino services are among the services the Act prohibits. A page that presented a list of online casinos as licensed in Australia would be telling you something that is not true.

A licence from another country is a different matter. It is issued under that country's rules and it is not an Australian licence. GambleAware NSW notes that offshore online gambling companies are often licensed in small jurisdictions where regulation standards are minimal. A licence number in a website footer therefore tells you nothing about whether a provider answers to an Australian regulator.

How to check a licence

Start from the official source, not from the provider. Type the address of the regulator yourself instead of following a link on the site you are checking.

1. Find out who runs the site. Look for the name of the company, not only the brand, and for the authority that is said to have licensed it. If this is not clear, you cannot check anything further.
2. Check the ACMA page. The ACMA publishes a page for checking whether a gambling operator is legal in Australia. Use it before you sign up or deposit any money.
3. Compare the details. Compare the company name and website address with what you find in the official source. If they do not match the site you are on, treat that as a warning sign.
4. Confirm with the licensing authority. For a bookmaker licensed in the Northern Territory, the territory government publishes its list of licensed wagering operators, which also includes operators that are not currently active. Other states and territories license their own providers, so the authority a provider names is where to confirm.

Being absent from the ACMA list of blocked websites does not mean a site is licensed. That list records enforcement action, not permission. The full step-by-step method is in our guide How to check whether a betting site is licensed in Australia, and the section Illegal gambling sites explains what to do with the result.

What a licence tells you – and what it does not

Licensed Australian online wagering providers work under rules that do not apply to services outside the system. Among them:

• Self-exclusion – BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, lets you block yourself from all licensed Australian online and phone gambling providers.
• No credit cards or digital currency – since 11 June 2024 a credit card, a digital wallet linked to a credit card or digital currency cannot be used to place online bets. Lotteries are not covered by this rule.
• Identity checks first – since 29 September 2024 an online gambling provider must verify your identity before it creates your account.
• No sign-up inducements – under the National Consumer Protection Framework a provider must not offer a credit, voucher or reward as an incentive to open an account, and it must prompt you to set a deposit limit.

These rules do not remove the risk. A licensed provider can still cause gambling harm, and a licence is not a promise that a bet will be paid or a dispute resolved in your favour. BetStop also does not cover pokies in venues or casinos, which have their own state-based self-exclusion schemes. Our section Gambling harm and help explains the tools that exist and how they work.

Sources: ACMA – credit card and digital currency ban, BetStop, AUSTRAC – customer identification for online gambling providers and Tasmanian Government – National Consumer Protection Framework, checked on 6 October 2026.

Providers without an Australian licence

The ACMA is direct about the position of customers of an illegal service: 'If you use an illegal service, Australian regulators will not be able to help you', and you are 'unlikely to see your money again'. It also warns that some online gambling services 'look like they're legal in Australia and some even target Australian players', but will not give you 'the same customer protection as a licensed service'.

The ACMA reported in March 2026 that 1,564 illegal gambling and affiliate websites had been blocked since November 2019.

If you think a website offers illegal gambling services, you can make a complaint to the ACMA. You do not have to give your name. Our section Online gambling laws explains the rules in more detail.

Changes due from 1 January 2027

The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 was passed by Parliament in August 2026. The Australian Government has said that the reforms are to begin from 1 January 2027. They include limits on gambling advertising, restrictions on direct marketing of inducements and new tools against illegal providers, such as letting banks and payment systems block transactions. We will review this page when the changes start. Details are in the Australian Government's Gambling reforms 2026 page and the ministers' media release of 2 July 2026. The Minister for Communications' release Strongest ever gambling reforms passed confirms that the Bill has passed Parliament.

Gambling more safely

A licence tells you who supervises a provider. It does not tell you how much it is safe for you to spend. Set limits before you start, and only gamble with what you can afford to lose.

If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, free and confidential support is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 and from Gambling Help Online. Our page Safer gambling sets out the principles we follow. If you have a question about this page, write to us at info@bonusout-au.com.

18+ Gambling can be harmful. Support: National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858

Last updated: 6 October 2026