Australia has one of the most active gambling markets in the world and one of the most layered sets of rules around it. States and territories license pubs, clubs, casinos, lotteries and bookmakers, while the federal government controls what can and can’t be offered online. This page explains how that system works, what has changed in recent years, and what the latest figures say about how Australians gamble.
How Gambling Is Regulated in Australia
Regulation is split between two levels of government:
| Level | Who regulates | What they cover |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) | Online gambling under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, gambling advertising rules, the BetStop register, blocking of illegal gambling sites |
| State and territory | State regulators and commissions | Land-based casinos, poker machines in pubs and clubs, lotteries, keno, and licensing of bookmakers and wagering operators |
Most Australian online bookmakers hold a licence from the Northern Territory, which makes the territory’s regulator, the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission, the main licensing body for online wagering nationwide. The commission replaced the Northern Territory Racing Commission when the Racing and Wagering Act 2024 came into force on 1 July 2024.
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001
The Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) is the federal law that decides which gambling services can be offered online to people in Australia. It targets the businesses that provide or advertise gambling services, not individual players.
| Allowed online with an Australian licence | Prohibited from being offered online |
|---|---|
| Sports betting placed before an event starts | Online casino games, including pokies, roulette and blackjack |
| Horse, harness and greyhound race betting | Online poker |
| Lotteries | In-play sports betting through a website or app |
| Keno (currently; see the 2026 reforms below) | Any gambling service without an Australian licence |
Because no online casino can be licensed inside Australia, every online casino that accepts Australian players operates under a licence from another jurisdiction. Those sites sit outside Australian consumer protections, including BetStop and Australian dispute processes.
The 2026 Gambling Reform Act: What Changes From 2027
The government announced a new package of gambling reforms on 2 April 2026, following the 2023 parliamentary inquiry known as the Murphy Report, which had recommended a full ban on online gambling advertising. Instead of a full ban, the government chose tight restrictions. The bill passed Parliament on 19 August 2026, and most measures apply from 1 January 2027:
| Measure | Rule from 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Television advertising | No more than three gambling ads per hour between 6am and 8:30pm |
| Live sport broadcasts | No gambling ads during live sport between 6am and 8:30pm |
| Celebrities and athletes | Gambling ads can’t feature notable people, including athletes, celebrities and influencers |
| Uniforms and venues | Wagering ads banned on players’ and officials’ uniforms and at sporting venues, with existing contracts allowed to run until the end of 2031 |
| Online advertising | Only to logged-in users aged 18+, with an option to opt out |
The package also included a crackdown on emerging online lottery products, a ban on online keno, more financial counselling support and work to strengthen BetStop.
How Much Australians Gamble
The main national source is Australian Gambling Statistics, published each year by the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office with data from every state and territory. The 41st edition, released in August 2026, covers the 2024–25 financial year:
| Measure (2024–25) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total gambling losses | AUD 33.0 billion |
| Losses per adult | AUD 1,527.88 |
| Losses on gaming machines | AUD 17.44 billion |
| Losses on wagering | AUD 8.45 billion |
| Change in total losses vs 2023–24 | +2.7% |
A Short History of Gambling in Australia
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1810 | Sydney’s first official race meeting is held at Hyde Park |
| 1956 | New South Wales legalises poker machines in registered clubs |
| 1973 | Wrest Point in Hobart opens as Australia’s first legal casino |
| 2001 | The Interactive Gambling Act bans online casino services for Australians |
| 2017 | The IGA is strengthened and ACMA gets new enforcement powers |
| 2023 | BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, launches |
| 2027 | New federal advertising restrictions take effect |
What This Means for Players
The legal position for players is different from the position for operators. The IGA targets businesses that offer or advertise prohibited services; it doesn’t make individual players criminals. But the protections Australians get from licensed bookmakers, such as BetStop, identity checks, deposit limits and access to Australian regulators, don’t extend to casinos licensed overseas. If something goes wrong at one of those sites, there’s no Australian body to complain to.
That’s why our Editorial Policy puts licensing, withdrawal terms and verification rules first when we review a casino. Full details of how to use our site are in our Terms and Conditions. If you are an Australian resident, you shouldn’t play for real money at online gambling sites.
Where to Get Help
If gambling is affecting your money, work or relationships, support is free and confidential. Gambling Help Online is available 24/7 on 1800 858 858. To exclude yourself from all licensed Australian online and phone bookmakers at once, you can register with BetStop for anywhere from three months to life.