How to bet on a US election from Australia

Can Australians bet on a US election?

US election betting is available through some Australian-licensed operators, although the markets offered can change and individual access is subject to conditions. On 5 November 2026, Sportsbet displayed a market on the winner of the 2028 US presidential election. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) lists Sportsbet Pty Ltd and its Australian website on its operator register, with a Northern Territory regulator.

That example is not a recommendation or a guarantee that the market will remain open. It also does not establish that every Australian can place the bet. Check the particular market and your account’s eligibility before relying on a displayed price.

ACMA’s register helps you check an operator and its particular website. A listing is a useful starting point, but it does not confirm that a specific election market is available to you. Sportsbet’s own account terms require customers to be at least 18 and reside in Australia; other conditions and location restrictions may apply.

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 regulates providers of online and telephone gambling services and prohibits certain services from being offered to people in Australia. An assessment of a provider’s obligations is not, by itself, a finding that an individual customer has committed an offence. The available research does not establish an identical rule for every political market in every state and territory.

• Check the exact operator and website address on ACMA’s register.
• Read the operator’s age, residence and account requirements.
• Confirm that your location and account are eligible for the particular market.
• Check whether the market is still open and read its current rules.

Can Australians use offshore or US election platforms?

Do not assume that an event-contract platform accepting some international users also accepts customers in Australia. Platform access terms and Australian regulatory requirements are separate questions, and both can affect whether a service is available.

For example, Kalshi’s general help page discusses international access, but its member agreement lists Australia as a restricted jurisdiction. Polymarket’s terms also list Australia as restricted. Separately, ACMA found that Polymarket had provided prohibited and unlicensed regulated gambling services with an Australian customer link.

These are platform-specific examples, not a legal finding about every event-contract service. They are also not an invitation to bypass a platform’s restrictions. Check current terms and ACMA information rather than relying on a general statement that a service operates internationally.

What US election betting markets mean

US election betting markets can ask different questions about the same election. The name of the market matters as much as the selection: a person can win a party nomination without winning the presidency, while a party bet may not depend on the particular person you first expected to be its nominee.

A presidential candidate-winner market concerns the named person who satisfies the operator’s definition of election winner. Sportsbet’s 2028 candidate-winner market was displayed when checked on 5 November 2026. A person appearing in a long-range list is not necessarily a declared or eligible candidate.

A winning-party market concerns the party defined in the market rather than necessarily a named individual. A party-nomination market concerns who is chosen as that party’s nominee before the general election. Sportsbet has published rules for nomination markets from 2024, but those historical rules do not establish that an equivalent 2028 market is currently open.

When betting on US politics, you may also encounter references to congressional races, control of Congress, individual state results or electoral-vote totals. These are possible categories, not a statement that a particular Australian operator currently offers them. Check the event and year on the market page.

The US presidential process uses electors. The winner of the national popular vote is therefore not automatically the outcome specified by a presidential-winner market. If a market refers to the popular vote, an electoral-vote total or another measure, read that definition rather than assuming it means the same thing as winning the presidency.

• Candidate winner: the named person must meet the market’s definition of the election winner.
• Winning party: the selected party must meet the market’s definition of the winning party.
• Party nominee: the selection must satisfy the nomination market’s rules, which concern a separate event from the general election.

How settlement rules affect an election bet

Settlement is the process an operator uses to decide whether a bet has won or lost. Rules can specify the source and event used to settle a market, as well as what happens if a candidate withdraws or a result is disputed. Read both the general election rules and the description attached to the specific market.

One important term is all-in. In an all-in market, a bet can remain valid even if the selected candidate does not take part. Sportsbet’s general election rules say its markets are generally all-in unless stated otherwise, and generally do not refund a selection that fails to stand, withdraws or is ineligible. A candidate withdrawal therefore does not necessarily return your stake.

Different settlement triggers can produce different timelines. For its 2024 presidential market, Sportsbet published a historical rule referring to an Associated Press projection and a losing-candidate concession, with a different route if there was no concession or the result was uncertain. That example illustrates how a rule can work; it is not confirmation of the rules for 2028.

Other operators may use different wording. bet365 Australia’s published US election rules distinguish the election winner from the person inaugurated. Those rules do not establish that bet365 currently offers an open 2028 market.

A news projection, an official count and inauguration are not interchangeable. The research did not establish a complete market-specific 2028 Sportsbet procedure for every postponement, replacement or dispute. Do not assume a refund, an election-night settlement or a universal settlement date.

• Check the election, year and exact outcome on the bet slip.
• Look for all-in terms and any stated non-runner or withdrawal refund.
• Identify the settlement source and any conditions attached to it.
• Read provisions for postponement, cancellation, replacement and disputed results.
• Check whether market-specific wording overrides the operator’s general rules.
• Do not assume cash-out will be offered or that it will return your stake.

How US presidential election odds work

US presidential election odds at Australian bookmakers are commonly expressed as decimal odds. The decimal figure is used to calculate the potential total return, including the original stake, if the selection wins.

For a hypothetical example, a $10 stake at decimal odds of 3.00 would return $30 in total if successful. That includes the $10 stake, so the profit would be $20 before any applicable costs. If the selection loses, the $10 stake is lost. This is an illustration, not a live price.

You can calculate a simple price-derived implied probability by dividing one by the decimal odds. At 3.00, the result is approximately 33.3%. It is not a guaranteed outcome or an independently verified forecast of the candidate’s chances.

In a complete market of mutually exclusive outcomes, the implied probabilities of all selections may add up to more than 100%. The excess is known as the bookmaker’s overround: a pricing measure, not a guarantee of realised profit on that market. You cannot calculate it reliably from only two selections if other possible selections are also priced.

Odds can change. Check the price you accept when confirming the bet and keep the confirmation as your record.

How to bet on the US election: a practical checklist

If you decide to consider a bet, start with eligibility and the event definition rather than the price alone. A long-dated election bet may remain unsettled for a considerable period, and circumstances can change before the election.

For example, compare the words “2028 party nominee” and “2028 election winner” on a bet slip. They refer to different events, even if the same person appears as a selection in both. Check the actual wording and rules before confirming either.

• Confirm that you meet the operator’s age, residence, location and account requirements.
• Check the exact operator and website on ACMA’s register.
• Confirm that the particular election market is available to your account.
• Read the event definition, all-in or refund terms, settlement source and dispute provisions.
• Review the accepted odds, stake, possible return and any applicable transaction conditions.
• Keep the bet confirmation and check relevant market updates.

Payment conditions and Australian tax

The potential return shown on a bet is not the only financial condition to check. Deposit and withdrawal methods vary by operator, and third-party transaction or currency-conversion costs may apply where relevant. Read the current payment terms rather than assuming a particular method is available or free.

ACMA says online and telephone wagering operators cannot accept deposits made using credit cards, funds linked to credit cards such as through digital wallets, or digital currency. Check the operator’s permitted deposit methods and its withdrawal conditions before committing money.

Gambling winnings are generally not assessable income in Australia, according to ATO guidance. Whether gambling amounts to a business depends on the facts; a large win on its own does not establish that someone is carrying on a business.

That general guidance is not personal tax advice and should not automatically be extended to every event contract or financial product. Business activity, foreign tax obligations or unusual circumstances may warrant individual advice. Do not assume gambling losses are deductible.

• Check that your intended deposit method is permitted.
• Read the withdrawal method, conditions and any disclosed fees.
• Check the accepted stake and potential return before confirming.
• Seek individual tax advice if your circumstances are not straightforward.

Set limits and know where to get help

Every election bet carries the risk of losing the stake, including when a candidate withdraws from an all-in market. Decide on an amount you can afford to lose, avoid chasing losses and remember that not betting is an option. A spending limit can help you plan, but it cannot guarantee that gambling will be free from harm.

BetStop provides national self-exclusion from Australian-licensed online and telephone wagering services; it should not be assumed to cover every offshore operator. Gambling Help Online provides free, confidential support on 1800 858 858, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

FAQ

Is US election betting legal in every Australian state and territory?

Some Australian-licensed operators offer political markets, but availability and applicable conditions depend on the operator, event and customer’s location. An operator’s presence on ACMA’s register does not establish that every market is accessible to every account. Check current terms and, if needed, ask the relevant regulator.

Can Australians use US election event-contract platforms?

Do not assume that international access includes Australia. Kalshi’s member agreement and Polymarket’s terms list Australia as restricted, and ACMA has published findings concerning Polymarket’s services. These are specific examples rather than a universal legal ruling on all event-contract platforms.

When is a US election bet settled?

The operator’s rules for the particular market determine the settlement trigger. A rule may refer to a projection and concession, a count or another defined event. Sportsbet’s projection-and-concession wording was a historical 2024 example, not a verified 2028 condition. Neither election night nor inauguration is a universal settlement date.

Are election odds the same as a candidate’s chance of winning?

Odds produce a price-derived implied probability, but that figure is not an independently verified forecast and can include a bookmaker margin. For example, hypothetical decimal odds of 3.00 have a simple inverse probability of approximately 33.3%. The outcome remains uncertain.

What happens if a candidate withdraws or the result is disputed?

The answer depends on the specific market rules. An all-in bet may stand without a refund if a candidate withdraws. A disputed result is handled under the operator’s stated settlement conditions; do not assume a particular refund or resolution process applies across all operators.

Are US election gambling winnings taxable in Australia?

ATO guidance says gambling winnings are generally not assessable income, but whether gambling constitutes a business depends on the facts. Unusual circumstances, foreign obligations or a different type of financial product may require individual advice. The general position should not be treated as a promise that every return is tax-free.