Gambling in Australia (Gamberling): Types, Rules, Risks and Support

What is gambling? Common types in Australia

Gambling generally means risking money or something else of value for an uncertain chance to win a prize or more money. Some activities involve skill as well as chance. A sports bettor, for example, may research a team’s form, but the outcome of the event remains uncertain.

Common types of gambling include:

• Wagering: placing a stake on an outcome, such as the result of a horse race or sporting event.
• Lotteries and scratchies: buying a ticket that provides a chance to win under the particular game’s rules.
• Pokies: playing poker machines, where a player stakes money on outcomes produced by the machine.
• Casino games: playing games such as roulette or blackjack for money in an authorised venue.

How gambling laws work in Australia

Gambling laws in Australia are shared across different levels of government. State and territory governments license and regulate gambling products and services, including land-based and interactive services. Commonwealth law also regulates interactive gambling.

There is no single answer to whether every gambling activity is legal. The answer depends on the product, the way it is offered and the jurisdiction. An activity available at a licensed physical venue, for example, is not necessarily permitted through a website.

For a physical venue or lottery, check the relevant state or territory regulator and the conditions for that product. For an online wagering service, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, provides a register that can help you check its details. Neither a licence nor legal availability means an activity is free from risk.

Online gambling in Australia: products and restrictions

Online gambling is not a single category under Australian rules. Some services may be offered by appropriately licensed providers, while others are prohibited for customers in Australia. An overseas licence, an Australian-looking website or the fact that a site is accessible does not establish that it can lawfully offer a service here.

ACMA identifies online casino games, including online pokies and casino-style poker, as prohibited services for Australian customers. A provider licensed to offer one product is not automatically authorised to offer every game or betting product on its site.

The distinction also matters for lotteries. Buying a ticket in a permitted lottery is different from placing a bet on the outcome of a lottery. ACMA identifies betting on lottery outcomes as a prohibited interactive gambling service.

Online in-play sports betting means placing a bet online after an event has started. It is prohibited online, although ACMA describes a limited exception for qualifying bets communicated wholly by telephone. Do not assume that a bet started online qualifies simply because a phone is involved.

Since 11 June 2024, online and telephone wagering operators have been prohibited from accepting deposits using credit cards, credit-linked funds or digital currency. The credit restriction does not apply to every gambling product; ACMA identifies lotteries among the exclusions. It also does not mean that every use of a digital wallet is banned.

How to check an online wagering provider

Before using an online wagering service, check the provider rather than relying on a logo or a claim on its own website. ACMA’s register lists relevant services and their trading names, licence holders, website addresses and licensing authorities.

A register entry is a useful check, not a guarantee of safety or approval for every product a site offers. For a lottery or physical venue, consult the relevant state or territory regulator instead of assuming the online wagering register covers it.

• Search ACMA’s register using the service’s trading name.
• Compare the exact website address and licence holder with the register, not just the displayed brand.
• Contact or check the named Australian licensing authority if the details or permitted activities are unclear.
• Avoid a service that is absent from the register or appears to offer a prohibited product, and consider reporting it to ACMA.
• For a complaint about a licensed provider, check whether the relevant licensing authority is the appropriate contact.

Gambling risks and warning signs

Gambling harm is not limited to a single large loss. It can include financial pressure, emotional distress, relationship strain, health impacts and difficulties at work or study. Family members and friends can also be affected, even if they do not gamble themselves.

One pattern to watch for is chasing losses: continuing to gamble in an attempt to win back money already lost. For example, someone who spends more than planned might place another bet hoping to recover the difference. That next bet puts more money at risk; it does not undo the earlier loss.

The following signs are reasons to pause and consider support. They are not, by themselves, a diagnosis:

• Regularly spending more time or money than intended.
• Borrowing money to gamble or to cover gambling-related debts.
• Trying to cut back or stop but finding it difficult.
• Gambling affecting sleep, work, study or relationships.
• Feeling distressed about gambling or its financial consequences.

Practical precautions and self-exclusion

Choosing not to gamble is an option. For someone who does gamble, planning ahead and restricting access may reduce risk, but no limit or block guarantees that harm will be prevented. If a limit is repeatedly exceeded, stopping and seeking support may be more useful than relying on the limit alone.

BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, offers a broader restriction for wagering. Through one registration, a person can self-exclude from all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers for at least three months. While a person is registered, those providers should not allow them to open an account, place bets or receive marketing.

BetStop does not block every gambling product, physical venue or offshore service. For help excluding yourself from a venue, ask the venue, look for the relevant local scheme or contact a gambling support service.

• Keep money needed for rent, bills, food and other essentials separate from any gambling spending.
• Set a spending limit before gambling, take breaks and stop rather than trying to recover losses.
• Consider an account deposit limit or timeout where available.
• Ask your bank whether it offers gambling-transaction blocks and how they work.
• Consider BetStop for Australian-licensed online and phone wagering, and ask about separate venue self-exclusion.

Gambling help in Australia

You do not have to wait for a crisis or decide that you have a gambling problem before asking for help. Support is also available to people concerned about a partner, friend or family member’s gambling.

Call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, confidential support anywhere in Australia, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Gambling Help Online also offers free, confidential online chat around the clock.

A support worker can discuss what is happening, talk through options and help you find local services. Local counselling may be available in person or virtually, although individual offices do not necessarily operate around the clock.

FAQ

Is gambling legal in Australia?

Some gambling activities are available under state or territory licensing, but legality depends on the product, location and how it is offered. For example, appropriately licensed online wagering services may operate in Australia, while online casino games are prohibited for Australian customers. Check the relevant regulator rather than assuming that a venue or website can offer every product.

How old must someone be to gamble?

Age limits depend on the product and jurisdiction. Many commercial gambling activities are restricted to adults, but there are exceptions. Lotterywest, for example, states that players must be at least 16 to play its games. Some community lotteries have different rules. Check the conditions for the specific activity and location.

How can I check an online wagering service?

Search ACMA’s register by trading name and compare the exact website address, licence holder and Australian licensing authority. If the details or permitted activities are unclear, check with the named authority. A register entry does not authorise every product offered on a site or guarantee that using it is risk-free.

Does BetStop block all gambling?

No. BetStop covers Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers. It does not block every gambling product, physical venue or offshore service. If you also want to restrict access to a venue, ask about its self-exclusion arrangements, a relevant local scheme or options available through a support service.

Are gambling winnings taxable in Australia?

Ordinary personal gambling winnings are generally not declared as income. Different circumstances can arise if a person is carrying on a gambling or betting business, which depends on the facts; a large win alone does not establish that. Interest later earned on banked winnings can be taxable. For unusual circumstances, check with the ATO or a registered tax professional.

Where can I get confidential gambling support?

Call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 or use the chat service through Gambling Help Online. Both are described as free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can contact them about your own gambling or because you are concerned about someone else.