Gambling in Australia was pretty much unregulated until 2001, when the Australian Commonwealth Parliament put the Interactive Gambling Act into law. Once this law was passed, it made it illegal for any online gambling operator to offer their services to any individual residing in Australia.
Gambling, however, is still as massively popular form of entertainment for Aussie’s, with over 80% of the
population engaging in some form of gambling activity. That’s a substantial number considering. However,
it’s important to know that there are a multitude of land-based casinos, and players are actually
allowed to gamble online if they make use of offshore online gambling operators, as strange as that may
sound. Additionally, sports betting and the lottery are still legal.
Gambling in Australia has its roots in the 19th century, when gamblers would place their bets on horse racing events. The first ever official horse race commenced in 1810 in Hyde Park, Sydney. In 1881, the Sydney Cup saw the first official Australian lottery, and in 1956, the first legal poker machine began operating at registered clubs.
There are multiple organizations involved in the regulation of online gambling in Australia. These are
outlined below:
- ACT Gambling and Racing Commission: Australian Capital Territory
- Department of Racing, Gaming, and Liquor: Western Australia
- Independent Gambling Authority: South Australia
- Licensing Commission: Northern Territory
- Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing: New South Wales
- Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation: Queensland
- Tasmanian Gaming Commission: Tasmania
- Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation: Victoria
This act was passed by the Australian Commonwealth Parliament. This act was passed in an attempt to
protect the Australian public from the possible harmful effects of online gambling.
As such, it is illegal for online gaming operators to provide a Real Money online gambling service to
Australian citizens. The advertising of their sites is also illegal. These operators are not restricted
from offering their services to other countries where online gambling is permitted.
If online casino operators in Australia do not adhere to these conditions, a hefty fine will be imposed. A maximum fee of $220,000 per day being is charged per individual involved in the operation, and a total of $1.1 million per day is the fine imposed per company. Therefore, it certainly is not worthwhile for operators to risk it.
Although Australian online gambling operators are prohibited from providing their services to people
living in Australia, Aussie citizens are still permitted to gamble online if they make use of offshore
gambling sites.
There is an abundance of the best online casino sites to choose from that are accessible to Australian
players. The only potential disadvantage to using these sites is that, because these sites aren’t
actually regulated in Australia, if players have any issues (for example, unfair treatment), they will
not be protected by the Australian gambling authorities. That’s why we’ve provided you with a list of
licensed and accredited online gambling sites which are transparent, fair and trustworthy. They are
regulated by an industry-watchdog and adhere to strict industry standards.
There have been rumors that the IGA may undergo a few changes in the future, but nothing has been
confirmed. So as it stands, players can gamble at online casino sites, as long as they are offshore.
Take a look at the online casino sites we’ve recommended for you.
