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Not being able to withdraw your winnings is one of the most frustrating things that can happen to a punter.
On this page, we explain why your bookie may be refusing to pay you out and list which bookies don't ban winners (that we know of).
But let’s forget that noise for now. If they are unjustly wasting your time, below are the 5 steps you should take to get your winnings back quickly!
How to get paid from your bookmaker fast
So. You've placed a bet with Sportsbet (or any bookmaker), and you've won. Life is good. However. When you go to withdraw said winnings - it will not allow you.
While this might only happen to 1% of players, it is still too common of an occurrence. Considering most people are losing players, it is actually quite common amongst winning punters.
Before you kick and scream, and start ringing support and saying to them "Do you know who I am!?", all the while calling them every name under the sun - here are the steps we recommend to take to get paid fast:
If your bookie is withholding any amount of money, we understand your first thought is to shoot first and ask questions later.
Firstly, you are better off arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible about their practises, rules and their T&Cs. You will want to know every possible reason why they might have restricted you, or are stopping you from withdrawing your funds.
If you go straight to customer support, they may try to trick you, and you do not want to accidentally fess up to something that you are not aware was an issue. E.g. A seemingly simple customer support question may be "Withdrawals may not work if you are using a VPN. Are you using one?".
If you answered A/ Yes - there is a good chance they will use that against you and state that it is in their T&Cs that you cannot bet from a VPN as you may be from outside Australia, and you can kiss your winnings goodbye.
Scroll further down this page, or click the link to see common reasons bookmakers won't pay.
Once you have read their T&C's and are ready to fight the bookmaker like a wannabe lawyer trying to talk their way out of a ticket - it's time to contact their support.
We recommend using the live chat, as you will get a response pretty quickly, you have time to craft each message and you can easily record it for later. If you call up, you may say something you regret, and they will have access to the call log in the future. You will not.
Keep it short, and ask why the withdrawal is not going through, and demand a response immediately. The bookmaker must provide evidence to support their decision, if they claim you have violated the terms and conditions of a bet. Most of the time, it will be the simple cop out of "we determine additional verification is needed".
Do not be abusive or complain about the process, as it is not going to make it any faster, and will probably hinder it if anything.
More often than not, Sportsbet and other betting agencies are just wasting your time and hoping that you will lose interest in pursuing your winnings. No matter what the cause is, quite often they will make you jump through some further verification hoops, and continually raising the bar every time you satisfy a new requirement. These may include:
- Bank Statement with 60 days of transactions
- Evidence of Source of Funds (such as a payslip)
- Selfie with Photo ID
- Front and back images of the card you used to deposit
- Any of the above verified by a Justice of the Peace
- Statutory Declaration
Despite the fact that this is a gross invasion of privacy, as of September 29 2023, it is now mandatory for betting companies to verify punters IDs prior to them depositing funds.
If you have received an email requesting any of the documents above, we recommend quoting this legislation and specifying in your email:
"As you took my deposit without verifying my ID, you are in gross misconduct of mandatory pre-verification for online gambling set out by the Commonwealth Government on 29th of September 2023. You can either pay me my winnings and I will accept that you have verified my ID without the need for the previously mentioned documents, or you must return my deposit immediately, and I will escalate this to the relevant governing authority, and you will be subject to a penalty".
If you have deposited any funds with this bookmaker after 29 September 2023, and they ask for those documents, this will definitely speed up the process.
If step 4 did not scare them into paying. You can escalate the matter with several different authorities.
Depending on where they are licensed, will depend on who you will need to contact. You can visit our List of All Online Betting Websites in Australia or the ACMA website, and it will show who the licensing authority is for your chosen bookmaker.
If they are not listed, then you could be using an unlicensed operator, and you will struggle to get your funds back. This is why we only list licensed bookmakers on our site.
For agencies registered with Liquor & Gaming NSW
- Forward your correspondence with your bookmaker, and email- contact.us@liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au
- Make sure to CC the person or email address, of the person you have been dealing with at the betting agency
- Send the same email, and CC the operator again, but this time to Racing NSW - racing@racingnsw.com.au
For agencies registered with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission
- Forward your correspondence with your bookmaker, and email- contact@vgccc.vic.gov.au
- Make sure to CC the person or email address, of the person you have been dealing with at the betting agency
- If the bookmaker is a member of the Victorian Bookmakers Association, also CC M.McKinnon@vicbookmakers.com.au to all emails
- Send the same email, and CC the operator again, but this time to Racing Victoria - information@racingvictoria.net.au
For agencies registered with the Northern Territory Racing Commission
- Forward your correspondence with your bookmaker, and email- racing.commission@nt.gov.au
- Make sure to CC the person or email address, of the person you have been dealing with at the betting agency
(Please note - VGCCC and Liquor & Gaming NSW will unlikely take any action, but definitely email them with the bookie CC'd).
For all bookmakers in Australia
Send the same exact email again, and CC the operator, but this time to Responsible Wagering Australia - info@responsiblewagering.com.au
When sending an email to whichever governing bodies your bookie must comply with, make sure to include:
- Your full name and address
- Time of bet(s) and what the winning bets were
- Screenshots of your bet as placed and approved, with calculated winnings and the BET ID (we screenshot every large bet we place, no matter what bookmaker)
- Refer to any evidence the bookmaker gave you as to why they will not pay you, and any evidence you can provide to prove that it is untrue.
It is very likely (unfortunately) that some of these governing bodies will either drag their feet, refer you to an online complaint form, or just completely ignore your email. But, you may draw the luck with a crusading customer support worker who will get on the case for you, but at the very least - you will have annoyed the bookmaker and have their attention. They will know that you are not bluffing, and will likely settle your winnings, before you need to escalate again to a complaint form.
If they still will not budge, you will have to go through the appropriate channels of filling in a complaint form and waiting their response - which can take months.
Honestly, this probably won't do much, but there are claims from punters online that bookies have reversed their decision, if they take down their negative review.
So if this wasn't the first thing you did, start crafting a very specific post of what exactly the bookmaker has done wrong. Be very eloquent with your review, as there are always negative reviews on bookmakers that have serious "they took our jobs" energy. So, most people just discount those ones and don't take them seriously.
I would leave this as a last resort, and further email your favourite support person at your favourite bookmaker, and update them daily with each platform you post the negative review on.
Places to leave a review that the betting site will see include:
- App Store
- Android Play Store
- Their Facebook page
- Google Reviews
Companies such as Sportsbet will not have it possible to review them on Facebook or Google for this reason. I wouldn't bother with Trustpilot or Product Review, as they are unlikely to care.
As we are the only website that compares and lists every betting site in Australia, please let us know also by emailing australia@mybettingsites.com. We will check them out ourselves, and even if we have a decent experience with the betting agency - if we get enough complaints of a certain bookie, we will take that into consideration and reassess our ranking of them.
Whether they approved to pay you quickly from one of the steps above, or you had to take the long route and jump through their ridiculous hoops and wait for the governing bodies to do their investigation - the bookmaker will have to pay you if you did not contravene their T&Cs.
Once you have received your winnings, share with us your experience (australia@mybettingsites.com) so we can help other punters avoid this issue, and to help fast track other punters who are stuck in a similar boat.
In the future, we would recommend betting with a brand below, which are bookies that don't ban or restrict winning punters.
Banned from bookies for winning too much
If this is you, first of all - congratulations on being a winner, and not being a mug punter.
Secondly. There is a vast difference between being banned, and being restricted.
Being restricted can simply mean that you are no longer eligible for a bookmaker's promotions. They are free to do this to anyone as they please, with reasons being people may be abusing bonuses, or simply because you are a winning player.
Although Sportsbet still lies for the sake of it, and does not claim they promo ban winners. Enjoy this video of Sportsbet CEO Barni Evans squirming when questioned about restricting winning players, while getting grilled by Peta Murphy.
Sportsbet are quick to promo ban winning players
Being banned is when you find yourself unable to place any bet whatsoever. For many people that have been on a roll, they will find themselves unable to place a bet for any stake with some bookies. Sportsbet is a massive culprit for this, and it is done automatically - due to their algorithm quickly identifying a winning player and stopping them from placing any bets.
It is also very likely, if you have not used the bookie before, or have a large sum of money they owe you, they will come up with some ridiculous reason to not pay you, and make you jump through the hurdles to withdraw your winnings.
Do all betting sites restrict winners?
Honestly, there are accounts of every bookmaker restricting somebody, somewhere, at some stage. A lot of these are written by angry users who don't actually make much sense in their reviews, so we discount some of them.
We've never had any too negative of an experience with any of the bookmakers that we have reviewed and consider to be a good betting site. The half a dozen or so we have experienced problems with first-hand, we have ranked them poorly and as an average betting site on our list of all betting sites.
However, we have taken into consideration multiple (and level-headed) complaints that people have emailed to us, or we have read, of bookies restricting them for no reason other than winning (although we obviously can't justify the legitimacy of some of these claims).
The betting sites below are the ones with the fewest, or none at all, complaints of being restricted.
| Company | bonusText | Go to Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
Pros Choice, Always High Odds | ||
Winners Welcome, Unique Odds | ||
Takes Big Bets (Racing Only) | ||
Top Fluc, High SGM Odds | ||
Honest, Real, Local Bookies | ||
No-Limits Betting & Honest Odds Code: leadstar | ||
Quality Prices, Daily Bumps | ||
Fast Payouts, Friendly Support | ||
Specials, High Fixed Odds | ||
Unique Markets, Sports Promos |
Why bookmakers don't pay
There are many reasons why bookmakers refuse to pay out your winnings. These may differ slightly from bookmaker to bookmaker, so be sure to read the T&C's of who you are betting with.
Some common reasons that the bookmaker may have the right to close or suspend an account and void any bets made on the account - includes if they suspect any of the following:
1. You are operating or have opened an account that breaches their rules
This can include if they expect you are using the account of a friend or family member. All bookmakers only allow one account per person, but some bookmakers have rules that you can only open one betting account per home address or IP address. If your partner has an account for the same bookmaker and you use the same debit card to deposit funds, this will definitely be flagged.
2. You are receiving an unjust advantage from information not known to the public
Most bookmakers that offer novelty type bets (e.g. The Bachelor), will limit the amount people can bet, as it is possible for many people involved in the production to leak the results. Similar to the case of the AFL umpire Michael Pell who allegedly leaked and placed bets on the Brownlow Medal in 2022. Pell umpired 16 AFL matches, and allegedly placed Brownlow bets on 10 of those games (AFL umpires do the voting for the Brownlow Medal).
3. You are intentionally abusing an inadvertent error in the description of the market
With 1000s of markets available daily, it is not unheard of that the description of the market contains an error, whether by a human or other means. Bookmakers may void your bet and or winnings, if they suspect you have taken advantage of this. This includes accepting a bet where a price is obviously or palpably wrong.
A good example is when Sportsbet refused to payout on a "palpable error", when one clever punter noticed odds of 1.70 for under 40 disposals for each AFL game. Which after the 9 AFL games for the week are put into a multi, the end price goes up to $118, for every $1 placed. He and his mates loaded up on it, and the total winnings were $9 million. Sportsbet was eventually made to pay out, but it took 5 months.
Be careful with what you are betting on, as what may read like a win win in your eyes, this rule can quickly turn it into a lose lose. And if you do see an error, don't put your house on it, share it on Facebook or tell all your mates. Keep it to yourself. You might get away with it.
4. You're account details are not up to date
This includes, address, phone number, email and bank details. If these are not up to date and they request documents from you and you do not oblige, they may have the right to suspend your account.
5. Third party transaction on your account
This could be as simple as withdrawing funds into a different account as the one that you deposited with. If you do not provide information disclosing your identity or payment information, they may refuse transactions and void existing transactions, including withdrawals. If you try to withdraw to a bank account not in your name, it will definitely not go through.
6. You are abusing promotions
This is a very common way to get your bets voided and winnings lost, if they suspect you are match betting or promotional arbitrage.
If a bookmaker offers you a $100 bonus, and you place two $50 bets on both outcomes of a head to head match (e.g. Essendon vs Collingwood) you will definitely win one of the bets. This is match betting and a bookmaker can easily track this.
7. You are using a VPN or suspect that you are operating outside of Australia
Australian betting sites may close your account, void any bets (including winning ones) if they have reason to suspect suspicious activity through the use of an unidentified IP address.
Bookmakers Reserved Rights
Bookmaker's may have it written in their T&Cs that they have reserved rights to cancel or refuse any bet or part of a bet, to restrict, suspend or close an account, and to void any all bets made without any reason. They may also have the right to withhold any funds and prevent the funds from being withdrawn until an investigation in relation to the matter of the account has been completed.
This involves all of what we have covered above, and more, but our favourite reasoning would have to be.
- The bookmaker considers that you represent a risk to their business.
We've never heard of someone not being paid out after the betting agency has ruled that they will not pay because they are a "risk to their business". We don't exactly see it being held up in court either, but it is in some of their T&Cs.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, being banned, restricted or unable to withdraw funds is a part of online betting. Whether you have intentionally, or non-intentionally, broken the betting sites rules - it can be difficult and time consuming to prove otherwise.
This is why, we only recommend bookies we consider to be the top betting sites - as they are brands we haven't had an issue with.
We're proud to have the original list of every single online betting site in Australia. We list all the newest betting sites, all the best betting sites, and even all the betting ...
FAQ
A lot of people have had an issue with betr not paying out. And, a lot of these people were found that they violated their terms, such as opening up another account in the same household, and using the same bank card.
We recommend checking through their T&Cs, and if you are still in the right, follow our 5 steps process on how to get paid above.
Also worth nothing, when betr had their crazy opening specials and people had to wait a week or so for their withdrawal - this was mainly due to staffing issues as it took a lot of time to process 40,000 people withdrawing at the same time, and they paid the largest payout in Australia betting history of $40 million,
Bet365 is the biggest betting agency in the world - so you would presume a few punters would have been blocked or barred at some stage. To check why they have not paid you, and to assist you in getting your money back, follow our 5 step process at the top of this page.
Bet365 is registered with the Northern Territory Racing Commission. If you have a complaint, you can file a gambling dispute form, which is found here.
Ladbrokes, one of the biggest betting companies in Australia, is owned by Entain, which also owns Neds. Some punters that are aware of this, claim if you are banned or restricted from one, then you will get banned from the other. Although, neither Ladbrokes or Neds can legally withhold your money because you were a successful punter on the other ones platform.
We recommend checking Ladbrokes T&Cs and contacting their support to see why they have not paid you, as outlined in our 5 step process.
Unibet, is another massive international betting site, and like Bet365, if they are going to have a large amount of people betting with them, there is going to be some who struggle to get their winnings out. We suggest you contact their support and ask why they haven't paid you, and follow our 5 step process to quickly getting your winnings.
If you need to escalate it further - Unibet's governing authority is the NT Racing Commission. On their website, you can find the form to submit a complaint.
As long as you have not violated their terms and conditions, a bookmaker will legally have to pay you out. They may take their time and make you prove that you have not violated their terms and conditions, in which case we recommend taking the 5 steps above to get them to pay as quick as possible.
If you're Bet365 account is restricted or suspended, it may be for many reasons, including:
- You are operating or have opened an account that breaches their rules
- You are receiving an unjust advantage from information not known to the public
- You are intentionally abusing an inadvertent error in the description of the market
- You're account details are not up to date
- Third party transaction on your account
- You are abusing promotions
- You are using a VPN or suspect that you are operating outside of Australia
For a more in-depth summary of these reasons, check out the section above of why bookies don't pay.
If you're Ladbrokes account is suspended or restricted, it may be for one of the following reasons:
- You are operating or have opened an account that breaches their rules
- You are receiving an unjust advantage from information not known to the public
- You are intentionally abusing an inadvertent error in the description of the market
- You're account details are not up to date
- Third party transaction on your account
- You are abusing promotions
- You are using a VPN or suspect that you are operating outside of Australia
For a more in-depth summary of these points, check out the section above of why bookies don't pay.
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