Keep reading to learn which Australian betting sites are legal and to find out what Australia's gambling laws actually say.
Answer: Yes - The use of licensed online sports betting sites is legal in Australia as per the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
In fact, Australians spend around $38 billion on racing and sports betting every year, with much of this betting being done at online betting sites.
Per capita, Australian's bet on sports more than any other country
Under Australian gambling law, all online sports betting sites that offer their products to Australian residents must have a gambling licence from the state gambling authority in the state that they are located.
With this gambling licence comes a multitude of restrictions and checks to ensure that betting sites promote responsible gambling, accurately report their winnings and losses and provide a safe, fair service to their customers.
In addition, all Australian residents that use licensed betting sites are protected under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Want more information? On this page, you'll learn why you should use legal betting sites and you'll also find:
↳ Australia's gambling laws explained
↳ The best Aussie owned betting sites
↳ The top legal international betting sites
Got a question about anything on this page? Contact us and we'd be happy to help!
| Website: bet365.com.au | Founded: 2006 |
| Owner: Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Limited | Headquarters: Darwin |
Bet365 boasts the biggest customer base of any betting site in the world. This is probably because Bet365 consistently offers the best odds for Australian and international sports, because they have tons of deposit and withdrawal methods and because their live streaming and live betting services are second-to-none. Bet365 is Australia's favourite international bookmaker and they are fully licensed in Australia.
Read full review
| Website: unibet.com.au | Founded: 1997 |
| Owner: Kindred Group | Headquarters: Sydney |
Unibet is a well-rounded international betting site with something for every Australian punter. With a helpful customer support team, Apple Pay & PayPal payment options and some of the best Australian racing and sports odds you’ll definitely have a quality betting experience at Unibet. Unibet Australia is also a top betting site for live betting and live streaming and the Unibet blog is a great place to find tips and predictions from betting experts.
Read full review| Website: pointsbet.com.au | Founded: 2017 |
| Owner: Pointsbet Holdings Ltd | Headquarters: Melbourne |
PointsBet entered the Aussie betting scene in 2017 as Australia's only spread betting site. Since then, PointsBet has also introduced a wide variety of fixed-odds betting markets and number of unique offerings like their Name-a-Bet feature which lets you create your own individualised bets. Overall, PointsBet shines having the most competitive US sports odds of any Aussie betting site as well as the fastest withdrawal times and a wide range of Multi bet options.
| Website: playup.com.au | Founded: 2007 |
| Owner: PlayUp Interactive Pty Ltd | Headquarters: Sydney |
As Australia's newest betting site (launched 2019) PlayUp is quickly making a name for itself as one of Australia's best. PlayUp has a modern 'mobile-first' approach and we think their mobile site and betting apps are the best in Australia. With a helpful customer support team, a top fantasy betting platform in Draftstars and the best-fixed odds offerings in Australia it's clear that PlayUp is one of the best Australian betting sites out there.
Read full review| Website: www.betfair.com.au | Founded: 1999 |
| Owner: Crown Resorts Ltd | Headquarters: Melbourne |
If you’re looking for the best odds in Australia, and the best live betting markets, look no further than Betfair Australia. The Australian Betfair exchange allows you to place pre-match and live bets with, or accept bets from, other Punters in Australia. This system means that you will almost always find the best sports odds on Betfair.
The most common questions we get from Aussies about Australian betting laws, betting regulations and licensed betting sites.
Yes, it is legal for Australian's to place sports bets, whether this is online at a betting site or with a physical bookmaker.
Sports betting agencies must hold a gambling licence from an Australian state or territory to offer sports betting services to Australian residents. All betting companies must also obtain reasonable proof that their customers are Australian residents and that they are over 18.
There are many different Australian sports betting laws but most are either outlined in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 or the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
Sports betting is legal in every Australian state and territory.
While sports betting laws differ between states and territories, Australian residents can bet with any licensed betting site even if the site is not located in the same state as they are.
Australian betting sites must adhere to federal betting regulations as well as to state-specific betting regulations. Federal regulations include things like obtaining ID proof, not offering online in-play betting and not advertising sign-up bonuses. State-specific betting regulations usually relate to deposit limits and the size of betting site bonuses that can be awarded.
Yes, online sports betting sites are legal in Australia as long as the betting site has an office in Australia and is licensed by a gambling authority in at least one Australian state.
We only list sports betting sites that are fully licensed and legal for Australian residents to use.
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 outlines the laws that govern Australian betting sites. As well as needing a licence, Australian betting sites must verify the identity of their users and not "offer or advertise 'real money' online interactive gambling services" such as online casino, online poker or in-play online betting.
Yes, horse racing betting is 100% legal in Australia. Just like sports betting, horse racing betting is legal under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 provided that the bookmaker or betting site is licensed in Australia.
All betting sites without an Australian licence are essentially illegal.
We say 'essentially' because it is illegal for unlicensed betting sites to provide online wagering services to Australian residents located in Australia, and to advertise their services to Australian residents, however, it is technically not illegal for Australian's to find and use unlicensed betting sites. Plus, it is almost impossible to stop an Australian resident from accessing an offshore betting site if they sign up with a fake address etc.
However, we strongly advise against using unlicensed betting sites because you will not be protected under Australian law should something go wrong. When using unlicensed betting sites you risk handing over important information about your identity and bank account. Also, your bank may block any withdrawals from illegal betting sites meaning that you may not even be able to access your winnings.
We only list licensed betting sites on this website.
Yes, all licensed betting sites on this page are 100% safe to use.
We say this because all of the betting sites with Australian licenses have:
They also must:
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) outlines many of the Australian laws that relate to online sports betting in Australia. Laws detailed in the IGA are enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
The IGA does not prohibit:
The IGA does prohibit:
More specifically, the IGA states that:
(a) a prohibited interactive gambling service must not be provided to customers in Australia;
(b) unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services must not be provided to customers in Australia;
(c) an Australian‑based prohibited interactive gambling service must not be provided to customers in designated countries;
(ca) credit must not be provided to customers of certain interactive wagering services;
(d) prohibited interactive gambling services must not be advertised;
(e) unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services must not be advertised;
(f) the offer of any credit, voucher, reward or another benefit as an incentive to open an account or to refer another person to open an account must not be advertised.
Yes and no.
Live online betting (i.e. in-play betting that is done online) is illegal as outlined in Australia's Interactive Gambling Act 2001 which states that it is illegal to "offer, interactive real money gambling services - including in-play sports betting - to players in Australia."
However, live phone betting is not considered an "interactive gambling service" and thus it is legal to place live phone bets in Australia.
All Australian betting sites offer live phone betting and we recommend Bet365 and Unibet for in-play betting because of their wide range of in-play markets.
No, sign-up bonuses are illegal in Australia. However, bonuses are not illegal for Australian's who are already customers at a betting site.
Australia's betting laws state that it is illegal for Australian betting websites to offer "any credit, voucher, reward or another benefit as an incentive to open an account or to refer another person to open an account.”
To get a betting site bonus we recommend reading our reviews to see which sites are the most generous and then creating your free account to see what rewards are offered after you have signed up.
Yes, just like in-play betting, online casino is considered an interactive gambling activity and thus it is outlawed by Australia's Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
"It's illegal to provide some interactive gambling activities, such as 'online casinos', to someone in Australia. Examples include roulette, poker, craps, online 'pokies' and blackjack. Any game of chance, including games of mixed chance and skill played over the internet, is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) if it's provided to someone who is physically in Australia."
- Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
Betting sites are considered legal if they have an Australian Gambling Licence.
Individual Australian states and territories have their own betting laws but to be able to offer sports betting services to Australians, betting sites only have to have one Australian gambling licence from one state gambling authority.
All legal betting sites are listed on the Australian Communications and Media Authority website.
Betting sites are considered illegal if they do not have an Australian Gambling Licence.
To be able to offer sports betting services to Australian residents, betting sites must hold an Australian gambling licence issued by an Australian state gambling authority. If a betting site has no gambling license it can be issued a fine up to $1.1 million per day.
All illegal betting sites will not be listed on the Australian Communications and Media Authority website.
✔ Licensed betting sites must follow Australian betting laws
✔ You will have access to a customer support team based in Australia
✔ Most banks and other financial institutions will accept deposits and withdrawals from licensed betting sites
✔ You will be protected under Australian law should a betting site not pay your winnings or some unforeseen event occur
✔ Australian betting sites employ hundreds of Australian residents
✔ Betting sites with licences have to pay taxes in Australia meaning that some of your money goes to supporting the Australian economy
✔ Licensed Australian betting sites have an obligation to promote responsible gambling and restrict the accounts of problem gamblers.
We only list licensed Australian betting sites
✘ There are no regulations governing unlicensed betting sites
✘ There is no guarantee that you will receive your winnings
✘ There is no guarantee that you will be able to contact an unlicensed site should something go wrong
✘ Your bank may block withdrawals from an unlicensed betting site meaning that you can't access your winnings
✘ You have no legal protection when using unlicensed betting sites
✘ Unlicensed betting sites prey on underage Australians or people with gambling problems
✘ Unlicensed betting sites generally function worse than licensed ones so your betting experience will be worse
We don't list any unlicensed Australian betting sites
The following betting sites are all legal for Australian residents to use. Each holds an Australian gambling licence from an Australian state gambling authority and each offers its customers a range of Australian betting payment methods using Australian Dollars.
Many of these betting sites can also legally accept New Zealanders.
Top site for live betting & live streaming
Great racing odds & race-day info
Most betting markets for AFL, NRL & NBA
Australia's best fixed odds
Best odds for top sports events
Best site for racing betting
Plenty of instant deposit methods
Biggest daily fantasy prize pools
Plenty of markets and betting features
We're no legal experts, and if the movies are anything to go by we should probably say that none of the information on this page is legal advice. However, after working in the industry for yonks, and doing a little bit of extra research, we have summarized some of the most important Australian betting laws from the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 so you can better understand Australia's tough betting regulations.
Online betting sites are 100% legal provided they have an Australian gambling licence.
In order to use an Australian betting site, you must be aged 18 years or older. You must also come from Australia, or from an approved country outside of Australia (like New Zealand). It is up to betting sites to verify your age and identity which they will do after you have signed up. You will be required to enter your Australian (or other) residential address and you may also need to provide a photo or copy of an ID document. Betting sites have 14 days to verify your identity before they must suspend your account pending successful verification.
In order to operate legally, all online betting sites in Australia need to have an interactive gambling licence from an Australian state or territory. Every Australian betting site with a gambling licence is listed on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) website. The maximum fine for operating a sports betting company without a licence is $1.1 million per day.
It is against the law for sports betting websites in Australia to "offer, interactive real money gambling services - including in-play sports betting - to players in Australia." There is however a loophole in this law that allows betting sites to offer live betting by phone, provided punters talk with a real person and not a robot answering machine. Therefore live betting online is illegal, but live betting on the phone is legal.
It is against the law for Australian betting websites to offer "any credit, voucher, reward or another benefit as an incentive to open an account or to refer another person to open an account.” This means that no Australian betting website, or betting site comparator like My Betting Sites Australia, can advertise betting site sign-up bonuses. However, players can still receive betting site bonuses after they have created their free account.
Sports betting websites that do not have Australian gambling licences cannot promote their services to Australian residents. If Australian residents find and use the services of offshore betting sites without licences it is likely that neither party will be punished, however, we strongly recommend sticking with licensed operators as you will be protected by Australian law if you do. Australian betting sites also cannot advertise illegal betting products like online in-play betting, online casino games and sign-up bonuses.
Australia's different states and territories each have their own gambling laws that relate to operators and players located within their borders. For more information about your state's gambling laws, visit the website of your state gambling commission. Otherwise, you should know that whatever state you are in you can use a licensed Australian betting site even if they are based in a state that is not your own.
It's illegal to provide interactive gambling activities, such as 'online casinos', to someone in Australia. Banned online casino games include roulette, poker, craps, online 'pokies' and blackjack.
Unibet is one of our favourite legal sports betting sites in Australia
Because betting sites that operate in Australia need to have an Australian gambling licence, many of the top international bookies are not available for Australian punters. This has left the door open for Australian owned and operated betting sites to control much of Australia's betting industry.
This means that as an Aussie punter, you have tons of great local betting sites to choose from if you want to support Australian business and bet with Aussie bookies.
There are no real legal benefits to using Aussie betting sites but there are a few reasons why punters prefer Australian operators to international betting sites.
PointsBet hasn't been around for long but it is quickly making a name for itself in Australia and in the US. Part of the reason for this is that PointsBet offers unique betting features like Spread Betting and Name-a-Bet which have added an exciting new dimension to Australian sports betting. PointsBet is listed on the ASX and is sure to be one of the most popular Australian betting sites in the coming years.
PointsBet has over 1,000 betting markets for the AFL, NRL and NBA - more than any other betting site in the world and they also have the fastest withdrawal times in Australia.
As Australia's newest betting site PlayUp entered the Australian betting scene with a clear focus on providing top odds and a great user experience. In line with this, PlayUp has our favourite Australian betting app and also Australia's best-fixed odds for horse racing and sports betting. PlayUp is looking to change the betting game forever and has announced plans to offer the world’s first fully-integrated, blockchain-enabled sports community with their PlayChip currency.
Draftstars launched in 2016 as a daily fantasy sports betting platform and was acquired by PlayUp in 2018. Since then they have grown their site to offer fantasy betting to over 300,000 customers and counting. With Australia's biggest fantasy prize pools, daily games with no season-long commitment and a top fantasy betting app, Draftstars is also changing the way Aussies bet on over 15 different sports.
The Draftstars fantasy app is great for fantasy betting when you're on the move
Not all of the betting sites online can be used by Australians, in fact, there is only a small number of international betting sites that have gone through the process of setting up an office in Australia and obtaining and Australian betting licence. This means that you can be sure that all of the international betting sites available to Australian's are serious about offering a great betting experience for Aussies.
All licensed international betting sites have an Australian customer support team and accept Australian dollars.
With 45 million global customers, Bet365 is the world's biggest betting site and Australia's favourite international bookmaker. There are a number of reasons why this may be but some include Bet365's top live betting and live streaming options, their huge range of competitive odds and their great multi and bet builder options.
Unibet is one of those betting sites that every punter should have an account with. With 250,000 different sports betting markets and 30,000 different live-streamed events every year, you'll find everything you want on Unibet. With great racing, US sports and election betting, Unibet is one of our favourite international betting sites in Australia.
Betfair has been active in Australia longer than any of the other international betting site available. The Betfair exchange allows Aussie punters to bet against each other meaning that you'll often find the best odds for top sports and racing events on Betfair. Read our Betfair review to learn more about how this works, or take our word for it and join Betfair today.
Betfair has been licensed in both Tasmania and the Northern Territory
Aussie punters may not know it, but after being acquired by GVC Holdings in 2018, they are no longer Australian owned. Despite this, they still operate independtly along with their sister betting site Ladbrokes. Today, Neds is one of the best racing betting sites in Australia with tons of promos and specials that can add value to your bets. They also offer Apple Pay and PayPal and we reckon that the Neds website is really easy to use.
Ladbrokes is one of the oldest names in worldwide betting and was founded in 1886. Ladbrokes came to Australia in 2013 and since then has become a top choice for punters in Australia. With simple, secure, betting, great racing odds and plenty of additional features for racing and sports Ladbrokes is a solid choice.
Sportsbet is one of the most popular betting websites in Australia but like Neds and Ladbrokes it is no longer Australian owned. Sportsbet was bought by Paddy Power in 2009 and is now run by Flutter Entertainment (based in the UK). Today, Sportsbet has a great range of sports, racing and novelty odds plus live streaming for Australian and New Zealand races through their partnership with Sky Racing.
"We know that betting jargon can be confusing and time-consuming to read so we've tried to explain Australia's betting laws as simply as we can. But to be honest, all you really need to know is that all of the betting sites on this website are licensed, legal and 100% safe to use. Any features that you find on licensed betting sites are legal, and if features are missing (like live online betting) it's probably because they have been banned."
- Mason - Aussie Content Writer
"When you've worked in the betting industry for a while you hear horror stories of players losing money and personal information to unlicensed operators. My advice is: stick with the legal betting sites on this page and you'll be absolutely fine. There are pretty of great options to choose from so there's no real reason to use illegal betting websites."
- Ben - Website Manager
Got a question about legal betting sites? Get in touch!
Here's a quick overview of the most important Australian betting laws:
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