As of March 2026, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) had blocked 1,564 illegal gambling and affiliate websites since its first blocking request in November 2019. That figure shows the scale of enforcement so far. This guide sets out which online gambling services the Act bans, which may be offered under an Australian licence and who enforces the rules.

Is online gambling legal in Australia? It depends on the service, because the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 sets rules for whoever provides it. Licensed Australian providers may offer online sports and race betting and lotteries. The Act bans online casinos, online pokies, in-play betting online, sports betting without an Australian licence and betting on the outcome of a lottery.

Reforms passed in 2026 change some of these rules from 1 January 2027. Figures below carry the date they were checked or published, and the sources are listed at the end. This guide gives general information and is not legal advice.

What the Interactive Gambling Act does

The ACMA describes the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth), called ‘the Act’ from here on, as the rules for companies that offer or advertise gambling services (ACMA, 5 October 2026). The wording matters. The Act is written about what a provider may and may not offer, and that shapes everything else in this guide.

According to the ACMA, gambling providers must not advertise banned services. A provider holding an Australian licence may still offer the services the Act allows. That is a short list, and the next section sets it out.

The Act has been amended before. The ACMA says the law changed in 2017 to combat groups outside Australia that provide illegal gambling services over the internet, and the amending law is the Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2017. The effect of that change is covered in the enforcement section.

What is licensed and what is banned

The table sorts online gambling services by what the Act lets a provider offer. It is stated as at 5 October 2026, and it describes services rather than people. Each row also names who the rule is aimed at.

ServiceStatusWho the rule is aimed atSource
Online sports and race betting with a licensed Australian providerMay be offeredLicensed Australian providersGambleAware NSW
LotteriesMay be offeredLicensed Australian providersGambleAware NSW
Online casinos and casino-style games (roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker)Banned from being offeredAny provider offering them to people in AustraliaACMA
Online pokiesBanned from being offeredAny provider offering them to people in AustraliaACMA
Online scratchiesBanned from being offeredAny provider offering them to people in AustraliaACMA
In-play sports betting onlineBanned from being offeredAny provider offering it onlineACMA
Sports betting by a provider without an Australian licenceBanned from being offeredProviders without a licenceACMA
Betting on the outcome of a lotteryBanned from being offeredAny providerACMA
Online keno and foreign-matched lotteriesBan passed in the 2026 reforms; most measures are due to start on 1 January 2027Any providerMinister for Communications

GambleAware NSW, a service of the New South Wales Government, also says a provider must be on the register of licensed interactive gambling providers. A website that is not on that register is not a licensed service. The test is the licence, not the look of the website.

The two rows that cause most confusion are online casinos and pokies. The ACMA lists both among banned services, and the full detail is in a separate guide on whether online casinos and online pokies can be offered in Australia.

Who regulates online gambling

Two layers of government are involved. The Commonwealth sets the rules in the Act, and the ACMA enforces them. Licences come from the states and territories, and each one has its own regulator.

In Victoria that regulator is the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), and in New South Wales it is Liquor & Gaming NSW. The Northern Territory Government publishes a list of licensed wagering operators through the Northern Territory Wagering Commission. On 5 October 2026 the list had about 50 operators, among them sports bookmakers, betting exchange operators and on-course bookmakers licensed under the Racing and Wagering Act 2024, and some entries were marked as not currently trading. The list carries no update date, so the figure is approximate.

Pokies in clubs and hotels, and casinos, sit under state and territory law rather than the Act. Each state and territory sets its own rules for them.

What the ACMA actually checks

The ACMA publishes a register of licensed interactive gambling providers, handles complaints, investigates providers and asks internet service providers to block illegal websites. It does not recover money for customers. The ACMA warns that a person who gambles with a company operating illegally risks losing their money.

A website can use Australian branding and still not be licensed in Australia. Licensing is the question to ask first. A separate page explains what is licensed in Australia and how to check it.

What the rules mean if you gamble online

The Act is written in terms of what providers may offer. The ACMA also says that anyone who breaks the rules may face criminal charges or civil penalties, and that this includes anyone who helps someone break them. This guide does not set out how that applies to any individual, and a person with a specific question should ask a lawyer.

What can be stated is the risk the ACMA describes. If you gamble online using a company that operates illegally, you risk losing your money. The ACMA describes three situations: a deposit is accepted but the winnings cannot be accessed, the operator closes or moves its service and the money disappears, or money keeps leaving the person’s bank account after they have stopped using the operator. A blocked website can also leave the balance out of reach. The ACMA also says ‘Australian regulators will not be able to help you’ if, for example, the provider withholds your winnings. The article on what the law covers and what you risk at an offshore casino goes through those situations in detail.

Licensed betting has its own rules. Since 11 June 2024, according to the ACMA, a credit card or digital currency cannot be used to place bets, and lotteries are not covered by that ban. Since 29 September 2024, AUSTRAC rules require licensed online gambling providers to verify a customer’s identity before an account is opened.

BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register applies to licensed providers. Registration is one of several tools, and BetStop, bank blocks and where to get help covers them together.

The minimum age is 18, according to state sources; this guide does not cite a national one. The VGCCC states that underage gambling is illegal and treats anyone under 18 as underage, and the New South Wales Government said on 12 December 2023 that people under 18 are banned from entering a casino.

If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 offers free and confidential support.

How the ACMA enforces the Act

The ACMA lists its tools for a breach: a formal notice that the rules were broken, an infringement notice, a referral to police or the Director of Public Prosecutions, a report of company directors for entry on the Movement Alert List, and a request to internet service providers to block a website. Civil penalties reach $2,347,500 per day for an individual and $11,737,500 per day for a corporation, as listed by the ACMA on 5 October 2026. The amounts change with the value of the penalty unit.

Blocking is the tool the public sees most. As of March 2026, 1,564 illegal gambling and affiliate websites had been blocked since November 2019, and more than 225 illegal services had left the Australian market since the ACMA began enforcing the 2017 rules. Both figures come from the ACMA. A later count may have been published since. Blocking rests on section 313 of the Telecommunications Act 1997, and how the ACMA blocks illegal gambling websites is explained in its own guide.

A blocked website is a sign that the ACMA has already acted. It is not a sign that a customer’s balance can be recovered.

What changes on 1 January 2027

The Minister for Communications has announced that the gambling reform bill has passed Parliament, and the Department of Infrastructure says the reforms begin from 1 January 2027. Most measures are due to start on that date. The Federal Register of Legislation shows a compilation of the Act dated 14 October 2024, so the text there predates the reforms and does not show them.

The Australian Government names these measures:

  • restrictions on advertising for betting, including a ban during live sports broadcasts
  • a register that lets a person opt out of gambling ads
  • limits on inducements
  • a stronger BetStop
  • a ban on online keno and foreign-matched lotteries
  • powers for banks and payment systems to block transactions to illegal gambling operators

Start dates for individual measures can differ. The detail of the advertising changes is in the gambling advertising rules that start on 1 January 2027. This article reflects the position on 5 October 2026 and is due for review in January 2027.

Tax on gambling winnings

The Australian Taxation Office lists betting and gambling wins among the amounts that are not counted as income, unless the person operates a betting or gambling business. That is a general statement, not tax advice. The article on whether you pay tax on gambling winnings covers the detail.

Where to complain and where to get help

What can be done if a website withholds your winnings or keeps taking money? The steps depend on whether the provider holds an Australian licence.

  1. Keep every email, screenshot and transaction record, and note the date of each.
  2. Find out whether the provider is licensed in Australia. A licensed provider is on the register of licensed interactive gambling providers.
  3. If the provider is licensed, complain to the provider first. Then complain to the regulator of the state or territory that issued the licence.
  4. If the website is not licensed in Australia, make a complaint to the ACMA about the website.

The ACMA says you do not have to give your name when you complain. A complaint may lead to an investigation, but the ACMA does not recover money for customers, and you may not see the money again. There is more on illegal gambling sites, withheld winnings and complaints on its own page.

If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 offers free and confidential support, and Gambling Help Online offers phone, chat and email support. Lifeline on 13 11 14 is also available for anyone in distress. Safer gambling tools and support are set out on a separate page.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in Australia?

It depends on the service. The Act sets rules for whoever provides it. Licensed Australian providers may offer online sports and race betting and lotteries, and the Act bans online casinos, online pokies and in-play betting online.

Are online casinos and online pokies allowed in Australia?

The ACMA lists online casinos, casino-style games and online pokies among services that providers are banned from offering to people in Australia. The rule is about what a provider offers.

What is the Interactive Gambling Act 2001?

It is the federal Act that sets the rules for companies that offer or advertise gambling services. It was amended in 2017, and reforms passed in 2026 add further changes.

Who regulates online gambling in Australia?

The ACMA enforces the Act. States and territories issue licences, and each has its own regulator, such as the VGCCC in Victoria and Liquor & Gaming NSW in New South Wales.

Is in-play betting allowed online?

According to the ACMA, online in-play sports betting is banned from being offered. GambleAware NSW lists online sports and race betting with a licensed Australian provider separately, as a service that may be offered.

What is the gambling age in Australia?

It is 18, according to state sources. The VGCCC treats anyone under 18 as underage, and the New South Wales Government says people under 18 are banned from entering a casino.

What changes on 1 January 2027?

Most of the 2026 reforms are due to start on that date. They include advertising limits, limits on inducements, a stronger BetStop and a ban on online keno and foreign-matched lotteries.

Sources