The Online Sports Betting & Gambling Industry in Australia

By Ciaran McEneaney - Wednesday 23rd April 2025 1:54 PM

The Australian online gambling industry is thriving and is now worth an estimated AU$3.8 billon per year despite the fact that there are only three forms of online gambling allowed in the country.
Sports betting, horse race wagering, and lotteries are the only online gambling activities permitted in Australia

According to the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, gambling companies in Australia are prohibited from offering all forms of gambling products and services online. This includes all online casino games including pokies and table games.

There are, however, those three exceptions to the law. They are: online sports betting, online horse race wagering, and online lottery sales. These online gambling products can only be offered by companies who are licensed by the Australian Government.

While Australia’s legal code forbids unlicensed sportsbooks, there are still many international gaming companies that allow Australians to access their platforms and place wagers online. These international sites are not regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) which is responsible for industry oversight of locally licensed sportsbooks.

In 2023 An Australian parliamentary inquiry into online gambling and its impacts recommended the creation of a national gambling regulator alongside a blanket ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling.

Australian online sports betting regulator

All legal and licensed online sports betting in Australia is regulated by the Australian Government under the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001.

Licenses for online bookmakers / online gambling sites are issued by a local authority at state level.

Australian Gambling Authorities

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Northern Territory

Northern Territory Racing Commission
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Level 3, NAB Building
71 Smith Street
Darwin NT 0800
Tel: 08 8999 1800

New South Wales

Liquor & Gaming NSW
4 Parramatta Square
12 Darcy Street
Parramatta NSW 2150
Tel: 1300 024 720

Victoria

Victorian Casino & Gambling Control Commission
Level 3
12 Shelley Street
Richmond
Victoria 3121
Tel: 1300 182 457

ACT

ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
ACT Gambling & Racing Commission
Access Canberra
GPO Box 158
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: 02 6207 0359

Western Australia

Gaming and Wagering Commission
246 Vincent Street
Leederville
WA 6007
Tel: 1800 634 541

Queensland

Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation
State Law Building
50 Ann Street
Brisbane
QLD 4000
Tel: 13 74 68

South Australia

Liquor, Gambling & Lotteries SA
Consumer & Business Services
GPO Box 1719
Adelaide
SA 5001
Tel: 131 882

Tasmania

Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission
21 Murray Street
Hobart
TAS 7000
Tel: 03 6166 4444

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Industry oversight for online sports wagering and over the phone gambling is provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The ACMA is responsible for ensuring that licensed online sportsbooks adhere to their licensing conditions while it also has the power to inform local internet service providers (ISPs) to block unlicensed sports betting websites.

Sydney

Level 5
The Bay Centre
65 Pirrama Road
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Tel: 02 9334 7700

Canberra

Red Building
Benjamin Offices
Chan Street
Belconnen ACT 2617
Tel: 02 6219 5555

Melbourne

Level 32
Melbourne Central Tower
360 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Tel: 03 9963 6800

Australia online gambling laws

The Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 expressly forbids any form of online gambling activity unless the service provider is licensed by the Australian Government.

According to the legislation, only three forms of online gambling are permitted.

Permitted online gambling services:

• Online sports betting
• Online horse race wagering
• Some online lotteries

Illegal online gambling products and services

• Online casinos
• Online pokies
• In-play sports betting (live sports betting)
• Sports betting services which do not hold an Australian license
• Betting on the outcome of a lottery

Even though the legislation expressly forbids unlicensed sportsbooks, there are still many international gaming companies that market their products and services to Australians.

It’s also worth noting that placing wagers at international sportsbooks that are not licensed by the Australian government is not a criminal offence. While the ACMA has take action against some international websites in the past, neither it nor the Australian government consider using these sites to be illegal. This is a similar scenario to sports betting in New Zealand where the local government has chosen not to criminalize wagering at unlicensed sportsbooks.

International online sportsbooks vs. Australian online sportsbooks

As mentioned earlier, online sportsbooks and bookmakers in Australia are fully licensed to operate in specific states and territories. However, despite the fact that there are around 50 legal sports betting options available in the country, Australia is still a melting pot of internationally-licensed sportsbooks.

For the most part, these international sportsbooks (also referred to as offshore sportsbooks) are reputable bookmakers that simply don’t have a presence in Australia. They are usually licensed by an international gambling authority such as the Malta Gaming Authority or the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner. In order to receive a license from a reputable gambling authority, these sports betting companies must go through rigorous checks to determine their suitability to offer sports betting products and services.

Generally speaking, there is very little difference between an international online sportsbook and an Australian online sportsbook. They will both offer odds on the majority of Australian sports though a locally-based online bookmaker may offer odds on lower league sports that some international sites don’t cover. But unless you plan to place wagers on third amateur cricket in a local league, you’ll find that the odds and lines offered by international sites are good enough.

Live betting

This is the one area where international sportsbooks have a distinct advantage over Australian bookmakers. This is because live betting is prohibited according to local gambling regulations. However, as international sports betting websites are licensed elsewhere, there are no restrictions on placing wagers on a game or event once it has already started.

Live betting, also known as in-play betting, has grown in popularity in recent years. This is partly due to the introduction of live game streaming by some sportsbooks but mostly down to the fact that it is a feature that the vast majority of gamblers want in a sportsbook. Until the Australian government see fit to change the restrictions with regards to live betting, international sports betting websites will continue to attract local gamblers and sports fans.

Legal online sportsbooks in Australia

Prior to 2001, the online sports betting industry in Australia was a little like the Wild West. Online gambling companies were launching websites left, right, and center and there was very little oversight of the online gambling industry and its unlicensed operators. The government’s response to this was to pass the Gambling Act 2001 which made it illegal for any company, Australian or international, to offer sports betting products and services unless licensed to do so by one of the country’s eight state departments for gambling.

Once this regulated and fully legal market was established, many of the world’s leading online gambling companies and bookmakers sought regulatory approval to launch within Australia. Since then, the industry has flourished and at last count there are 49 fully licensed online sports betting apps that have launched in various states and territories across Australia.

Media giant News Corp is expected to launch its own sports betting platform in the coming months. The sportsbook will be called BetR but has yet to receive regulatory approval.

How to spot a trustworthy online sports betting website in Australia

While spotting a licensed online bookmaker in Australia is just a simple matter of checking the list of legal sportsbooks above, what about spotting a trustworthy international sportsbook?

The fact that these international bookmakers offer live betting — something that local sportsbooks are prohibited from doing — makes them an extremely popular option among Australian gamblers.

With this in mind, here are a few tips for spotting trustworthy international online bookmakers.

Check the license

Yes, it really could be that simple. Any licensed sports betting website that operates in Australia must display its license on its homepage. This can usually be found in the footer area (bottom section) of the website. The same rule applies to international sportsbooks, except their licenses will be issued by a reputable international gambling authority. Any sports betting website that does not have a license clearly displayer on its homepage is probably one that you should avoid.

Many international online sportsbooks will have licenses from the following overseas gaming authorities.

• Malta Gaming Authority
• Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner
• Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
• Curaçao Gaming Control Board

Licenses issued by these authorities are genuine with each gambling company needing to go through a series of suitability checks before being issued with their license.

If you are unsure about the legitimacy of an online sportsbook’s license, you can contact the relevant gaming authority or check its list of approved license holders to see if it’s genuine.

How to pick a reputable online sportsbook in Australia

Regardless of whether you opt to gamble at a locally licensed online bookmaker or an international online sportsbook, you’ll still need to know if you have chosen a reputable sportsbook. Here are a couple of tips to help figure that out.

Read customer reviews

There’s nothing that will tell you more about how an online sportsbook operates than customer reviews. These can give you great insight into how the sports betting operator treats its customers while highlighting both the good and the bad aspects of the sportsbook.

Tyr to find your customer reviews from independent, industry-related websites or from review sites such as Trustpilot. Reviews from sites such as these will give you a better and more objective view of what the site in question is like.

Just don’t pay too much attention to a negative review here and there. Even the very best of online sports betting companies will always have one or two customers that aren’t happy with their service. Once these negative reviews are few and far between, there’s no real need to worry about them.

For international online sportsbooks, it makes sense to try and find reviews from other Australian gamblers. For example, this will give you an idea of how reliable the company’s banking methods are and what kind of local sports odds are on offer.

What customer support options does it have?

Solid customer support is an essential aspect of any online bookmaker. After all, the company is going to handle your money and will have your personal data and financial details. If any issues arise, you’ll want to be able to get on the phone or open a live chat with a customer support agent.

Most online sportsbooks will have an FAQ section along with a few tutorials or guides to help you with all the basics. However, the great online bookmakers will also have either a telephone line that you can call 24/7 or a live chat feature that is open 24/7. It really cannot be understated just how beneficial these kind of support options are especially when you have a time-sensitive issue that must be dealt with before you can place a wager on an event.

Ciaran McEneaney

Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.