However, it’s not all doom and gloom - we’ve waded through the masses of information and decoded it. Read on to learn about online gambling at legal sites in Oz in a way that anyone can understand.
What it boils down to is that the law affects the gambling providers in Australia, rather than the pundits themselves. As long as you are betting online in Aus in an establishment that is based overseas, you’re good to go! However, don’t get too complacent. There are still some illegitimate online gambling sites that ride on the coat tails of respectable, law-abiding and regulated casinos. These sites parade themselves as legit sites, but actually only exist to scam its users before disappearing into the ether. We’re trained in the art of recognising the top legal casinos for Australians, every site listed on this page is:
- Legal, safe and secure for Australian residents
- Regulated by third party, independent auditors to ensure fairness
- Exciting, fun with an enormous variety of games and real cash bonuses
Keep reading after the jump to find out everything you need to know about legal online gambling, local to you.
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Legal Low Down
The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 is what stops sites based in Australia from providing gambling entertainment to its citizens. Any casino that operates online on the island is breaking the law, meaning that they are not recognised by third party moderators as legitimate casinos, and therefore immediately disqualified from being moderated. These illegal sites are therefore a definite cause for concern, from a punters point of view. They are an illegal operation that obviously has no qualms in breaking the law - watch out, your hard earned cash could be next. Everyone gets hurt where illegal online gambling is involved. Avoid Aussie provided online gambling, while we love going local for everything else, this one needs to be an exception.
However, the law says nothing about where you can spend your money. It only exists for the organisations themselves. You are free to do legal online gambling, wherever and whenever you want. Just be aware that while in 2024 you have pretty much free reign, moves are being taken to curb citizens from partaking in this hobby, for example there is talk at the moment of blocking you from using your credit card in the casinos. However, don’t go running off just yet! There’s still a huge variety of better ways to pay at the casino. Using your credit card to bet probably isn’t the best idea anyway, and is one of the quickest ways to rack up an enormous amount of debt. There’s also still the question of what the best sites are and how you can tell which to play.
Shortcut to the Best Legal Sites
Now you know why to avoid illegal casinos when gambling online, so it’s time to find out how. The first step is to find a decent, reputable casino based overseas. Places like Malta and Gibraltar have the best betting industries. It’s such an enormous source of income for these countries, the casinos are rigorously tested by third party auditors to avoid scandal and to ensure that the casinos stay true to their trustworthy reputation. Of course, the whole point of an illegal casino is that they are dishonest - they aren’t going to advertise that they are running an illegal operation designed to scam you out of your money! So, what can you do?
Well, our team have been participating in the legal online gambling scene in Australia since its inception. We’ve had lots of experience in spotting the bad ones, and now we know all of the best places to bet in real AUD. Take a look at our top list of stellar casinos - each one of them offers top welcome bonuses that will make your mouth water and they all reward loyal players. They also boast a wide selection of your favourite games. Whether you like blackjack, poker or pokies - you can play them online safely and from the comfort of your favourite armchair.
Don’t forget that even though these sites are fair and secure, your connection might not be. When making financial transactions, ensure that you use a password protected Wi-Fi connection - you never know who else may be lurking in the shadows of the web.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Australia host online gambling sites?
The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 is what stops sites based in Australia from providing gambling entertainment to its citizens. Any casino that operates online on the island is breaking the law, meaning that they are not recognized by third party moderators as legitimate casinos, and therefore immediately disqualified from being moderated.
Will all the sites I find recommended here be legal?
We only recommend safe and legal online betting sites on these pages, so you can rest assured that you can trust the sites found here. We carry out checks to ensure that the sites are regulated by trusted authorities and that games are independently vetted by bodies such as eCOGRA to ensure that they are fair and payout correctly. As there is no legal issue with Australian residents betting on international online gambling sites, it is perfectly legal for you to bet with the sites we recommend on these pages.
Is the legal situation the same across all Australian states?
While there may be variations from one state to the other when it comes to the field of online gambling, the basic message is that it is illegal for an Australian based online gambling site to operate real money betting online. However, it is not illegal for Australian residents of any site to bet with their own money on online gaming sites, and there are plenty of international sites out there which are happy to take on Australian clients.
Are there any Australian based online gambling sites?
There are no Australian based online gambling sites, as this is expressly forbidden by law. However there is no law against Australian residents betting on international online sites, as it only exists for the organizations themselves and not individual players.
Will there be any tax to pay on my winnings?
Although it is always best to check with a taxation expert regarding the specific rules for your state, in general terms it is not generally required for Australians to pay taxes on winnings earned from gambling online. Any taxation on gambling is generally imposed at a corporate level rather than on players themselves.
Is it better to use AUD when playing?
If you have the option to use AUD to gamble online – as with many of the casinos recommended on these pages – then it makes sense to go ahead and take that option. This is because if the currency of your gambling site is different to AUD, for example in US dollars, then there will be a cost when it comes to exchanging funds from your AUD bank or credit card account.
How can I tell if a site is safe?
Every site recommended on these pages is regulated and subject to regular independent testing to ensure that games are fair and pay out correctly. Online casino games are powered by random number generators and any reputable site use games which are independently monitored by bodies such as eCOGRA to ensure that these RNGs are indeed fully randomized. You can rest assured that if we recommend an online betting site that you can play safely and securely online.
