Responsible Gambling in Australia: Laws and Help
This page sets out what responsible gambling means in practice in Australia, how problem gambling can be recognised, and where help can be obtained. It contains no promotion of gambling services.
The legal position in Australia
Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, providing online casino games — including online pokies, roulette, blackjack and online poker — to Australian customers is illegal. No domestically licensed real-money online casino exists for Australian players. Operators licensed in Australia are limited to sports and race wagering.
Offshore operators that offer casino games to Australians commonly hold licences from Malta or Curacao. Such licences are issued by foreign authorities and do not authorise an operator to serve Australian customers. A Malta or Curacao licence should not be read as evidence that a service is lawful in Australia.
What problem gambling looks like
Problem gambling is usually observable in behaviour rather than in statements of intent. Indicators that have been consistently reported in the literature include:
- gambling with money needed for fixed obligations such as rent, utilities or debts;
- attempts to stop or cut back that have not lasted;
- concealing the extent of gambling from family members or close others;
- borrowing money, or selling possessions, to continue gambling;
- gambling for longer than intended, or chasing losses with further gambling;
- irritability or restlessness when attempting to reduce gambling;
- thinking about gambling when not gambling, including planning the next session.
A single indicator does not establish a problem. A pattern of several indicators, particularly where gambling continues despite financial or personal consequences, is the more reliable signal. Screening instruments such as the PGSI are used in Australian population surveys, and a formal assessment can be carried out through the services listed below.
Gambling is not a source of income. It is not a method of recovering debts or resolving financial difficulty. The expected return of commercial gambling is negative for the player; over time, losses are the statistical norm. Treating gambling as a solution to money problems is one of the more consistently identified risk factors for harm.
Self-exclusion and other tools
Australia operates a national self-exclusion register, BetStop, available at https://www.betstop.com.au. It allows a person to exclude themselves from all Australian licensed online and phone wagering services in a single step. Exclusion periods run from a minimum of three months up to a lifetime. Around 40 per cent of registrants have chosen to self-exclude for life; fewer than 20 per cent have chosen the minimum three-month period, and more than 14 per cent have already extended or reactivated an exclusion period.
The law was changed in 2019 to allow the introduction of the National Self-Exclusion Register. BetStop covers Australian licensed online and phone wagering operators. It does not cover offshore casino operators, which operate outside the Australian regulatory framework.
Other measures available within the Australian framework:
- The National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering applies to all licensed online wagering service providers and sets minimum consumer protections, including requirements related to identifying and assisting customers showing signs of gambling harm.
- Deposit restrictions: since 11 June 2024, credit cards and cryptocurrency cannot be used as deposit methods for online gambling in Australia. The only legal deposit routes for licensed Australian wagering are debit cards, bank transfer, PayID/Osko and BPAY. No credit-funded payment methods are permitted.
- Online in-play sports betting is banned except by telephone or within licensed retail wagering venues.
Verifying a licence
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) publishes a register of Australian-licensed interactive wagering service providers. A licence can be verified by cross-referencing the licence number on the regulator’s official website. MGA (Malta) and Curacao licensing authorities also maintain public registers where a licence number and its status can be checked. A foreign licence confirms that an operator is regulated by that foreign authority — it does not indicate approval to serve Australian customers.
Age requirement
The minimum age for commercial gambling in Australia is 18. Services are restricted to persons aged 18 or over.
Where to get help
The following organisations provide support in Australia:
- Gambling Help Online — responsible gambling support, free and confidential, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
- Gambler’s Help — responsible gambling support: https://www.gamblers.help
- BetStop — national self-exclusion register for online wagering: https://www.betstop.com.au
- Lifeline — mental health support: https://www.lifeline.org.au
The National Gambling Helpline operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Details of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering are available through the Australian Parliament House website: https://www.aph.gov.au
Questions about the content of this page can be directed to Casino Bonus Guide Au at [email protected].