Australian Laws: What Games You Can Play Here

Lisa Cheban
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Lisa Cheban

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Lisa is an esteemed expert in the field of iGaming. With her extensive experience in writing iGaming content, she possesses the knowledge and skills to provide you with the most informative and engaging insights into the world of gambling.


 

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Simon Young
Reviewed byReviewed by:Simon Young

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Simon Young

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Simon Young, a former national news editor and journalist, once held the prestigious position of Lead Editor at PokerStars before focusing his editorial talents on Betsquare. His illustrious career journey seamlessly bridges the realms of journalism and online gambling, crafting a unique narrative of expertise and innovation.


 

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Updated on:

Feb 19, 2024, 2:04 pm

Introduction:

Here in Australia, gambling laws are quite controversial when it comes to online forms, though the range of land-based casinos operating in the country is much wider. Our BetSquare team decided to explore this question to find out whether online casinos in Australia are legal, what taxes should be paid in this case, how to play responsibly, and what other gambling forms are available in the country. So, here’s our online casino legislation guide for Aussies!

Gambling Regulations in Australia: Basic Documents

The industry is regulated by a range of documents and regulations connected with casinos, their services, and available gambling forms. All together, they determine the legal issues of Australian gambling, including online and land-based venues. Let’s consider these documents and laws for each region.

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA)

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) serves as a federal law in Australia that controls the oversight of interactive gambling services and operations within the nation. Here are a few basic characteristics to explain how it works:

  • Under the IGA, specific categories of interactive gambling services are barred from being provided to individuals situated within Australia. This includes the prohibition of certain variants of online gambling facilitated by offshore entities.
  • Prohibitions of all forms concern operators providing their services in the country, not players.
  • Certain exceptions are in place, notably for particular types of gambling activities like online sports betting (by the way, we’ve got a helpful sports calendar for 2023 & 2024 for such cases) and lotteries, which fall under the purview of regulation at the state and territorial levels. 
  • Permitting online sports betting necessitates a valid license from an Australian state or territory for the operator. These are local licences, while operators we recommend are licensed by offshore regulators like Curacao and MGA.
  • Additionally, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is designated by the law as the governing body entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing and enforcing the stipulations outlined within the IGA.

As you can see, this act is aimed at operators providing services in the country. Yes, the regulation doesn’t accept such casinos and can block access to such sites from time to time. However, you could also notice that regulations cover only activities of operators, while players aren’t affected, which is a good sign. As a result, you can gamble in the country and avoid problems of any kind.

Local Australian Laws by Regions

One more thing to mention is that regulators and gambling laws may vary even within the same country. Thus, legal casino games in Tasmania may be different from the ones you can access in South Australia. Here are a few examples:

  • The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission (ACTGRA) is responsible for gambling regulation in the Australian Capital Territory.
  • The Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) is responsible for regulating gambling in Queensland.
  • The regulatory authority for gambling in NSW is the New South Wales Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA).
  • The Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC) regulates gambling activities in the Northern Territory.
  • The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries oversees gambling regulation in Western Australia.

Land-Based Legal Casinos in Australia

Interestingly, there are legal forms of land-based casinos, so their games are legal and popular among Australians. These are the top-5 brick-and-mortar casinos to visit in Australia:

  1. The Star Sydney (New South Wales)
  2. Adelaide Casino (South Australia)
  3. Wrest Point Hotel Casino (Tasmania)
  4. Crown Melbourne (Victoria)
  5. The Star Gold Coast (Queensland)

According to the IGA, players don’t face problems when gambling online. That’s why all the massive catalogues of diversified games, including online pokies for all tastes, are available to Aussies who want to play online. Here at BetSquare, we are fond of all these games, so we decided to create a top-10 rating of legal casino games in Australia with some tips and recommendations on where to play them with cool bonuses and good conditions.

Game Type Description Examples
Online pokies Players can find both Australian and global themes, while the features will meet the needs of all gamblers, be it a traditional 3×1 pokie or a game with complex mechanics, including Megaways and progressive jackpots. The most catchy pokies we can recommend to our readers are Sweet Rush Megaways by BGaming.
Roulette Be prepared for diversified bets, including Straight Up when you try to predict a certain number and options like odd/even where the payout is 1:1 yet you access the highest RTP. Aussies will find legal roulette games like American Roulette and European Roulette by Betsoft.
Poker Aussies can play legal poker. It’s an extremely popular game where you need to get hands worth a certain value, such as Pairs, Flush, or even Royal Flush with the highest payout potential. Texas Hold’ Em Poker 3D by EvoPlay
Blackjack Here’s a legendary table game adored by Australians. Legal online blackjack in Australia requires players to get 21 or close to it yet not to go over this limit. Burning Blackjack by Betsoft
Baccarat As well as the previous table game, in baccarat, you also collect hands of certain values. However, in this case, your goal is getting 9 points. Baccarat 777 by Evoplay
Instant win games Mainly, these are crash games which allow players to regulate themselves when to keep on playing to increase the total multiplier or when to stop and cash out, though the game can crash and you can lose everything. Plus, Australians can play Plinko, Miners, and other similar games. The most popular crash games are Aviator by Spribe, Triple Cash or Crash by Betsoft, and more.
Lotteries These are simple yet very popular and easy to play games. Australians can try out lotteries like bingo, keno, scratch cards, and other variations. Burning Keno by Amusnet Interactive
Live games Real dealer games are different tables hosted by real croupiers. The same is with excellent live shows based on money wheels (eg. Monopoly Live by Evolution) or slots (eg. Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt by Evolution). Just be prepared that such games don’t have a demo mode. Snakes & Ladders by Pragmatic Play is a new live game of 2023 which has a grid with snakes and mini-games based on dice.
Craps Don’t miss craps! This dice game has a lot of betting options, so you can bet on the shooter and decide whether to pick a certain number to bet on or choose between Pall Line and Don’t Pass Line options. Craps by Betsoft, Craps by 1×2 Gaming
Sports betting Well, bets on sports aren’t exactly about casino games, but you can access this entertainment as well, so this category is worth noting. Aussies can bet on football, hockey, baseball, cybersport, and more.

To play for free, users can activate the demo mode, and after depositing, real money bets are available as well. Just make sure to avoid blacklisted casinos, even for free games. Before you pick a game to get started, consider its RTP (95% or more sounds good), volatility, max win, and bonus features. We study the features, check the RTP and hit rate, and test mobile accessibility. It is also very important that the slot has features not only in the bonus but also in the base games.

How to Choose a Legal Game

How to Start Playing

Since real money casinos are packed with legal games for all tastes, you can choose from this range relying on your preferences and the qualities offered by other titles on the market. Basically, these are the main things to consider:

  • The type of the legal casino game for Australians is the first factor to keep in mind since you can choose from pokies, table games, and other types
  • Then, keep in mind the RTP rate since the higher it is, the lower the house edge (what the casino earns), which is better for you
  • By considering different features, you will choose the ones which will entertain you the most, such as free spins and extra multipliers
  • Aussies also need to consider volatility since it determines whether the wins will be frequent and large (low variance is the best for newbies)
  • Finally, just test one of the legal Australian casino games on offer to make sure that it’s the one you will enjoy for AUD stakes 

Australian gambling online sites are secure thanks to a range of legal safety tools, such as licences, SSL encryptions, and more. Plus, the games are tested by independent laboratories, such as eCOGRA, GLI, iTechLabs, and others. As a result, you can be sure that RNG-based games are fair and never rigged, as well as live dealer games which are controlled accordingly.

Top Legal Australian Casinos

To help our readers in Australia pick the most reliable online casinos with legal software, we’ve created a casino rating for Aussies where we share top-notch operators our experts have thoroughly tested beforehand. These are the top-5 online casinos where Aussies can play legal games:

How to Start Playing

Compare the top operators we mention above to choose the one for yourself. To start playing, consider the minimum acceptable limit (or the maximum if you are a high roller), select a banking method, and transfer funds to your account within seconds. For a crypto deposit, send cryptos to a generated address. Now, you can get your bonus (optionally) and get started. If you refuse getting the bonus, just choose a casino game you like and place a bet to get started. Start playing real money games and get wins on your balance. Finally, wait for the funds to be withdrawn in due time. Of course, you should play responsibly and avoid compulsive stakes or credit funds used for depositing.

Summary

Australia is a country with a wide range of legal land-based casinos and a range of legal games available there. Moreover, the wins can be taxable. When it comes to online operators, it’s a bit more complicated since the government doesn’t accept offshore gambling sites. However, local laws don’t state anything regarding players accessing such sites, so it’s not prohibited for customers and there are no punishments of any kind in this regard. This way, gamblers using a VPN service and convenient payment options, including cryptocurrency, can access these sites and play for real funds to the players’ own discretion.

FAQ

Can I legally play online casino games in Australia?

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) has a range of restrictions regarding casino games. However, players can access online software from offshore operators and won’t face penalties in this regard.

What legal casino games can I play in Australia?

These can be different table games, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, online pokies, lotteries like bingo and keno, crash games, and more. Besides, these sites can offer sports betting options.

How do I deposit and withdraw to play legal casino games in Australia?

You can use different payment options, including Neosurf for depositing and bank cards or e-wallets for both transfer types. Moreover, since there are certain restrictions in the country, the presence of cryptocurrency is a big advantage.

Where do I find the best legal casino games for Aussies?

On this site, our BetSquare experts highlight the most trustworthy online casinos with legal games for Australians. We test each and every detail on these sites to make sure that you get fair terms, good payout limits, and a range of other perks.

What details should I consider when picking a legal game?

Besides local regulations and choosing a top gambling site, make sure to check the game’s RTP, volatility, a variety of features, and the max win potential. Try to pick a game with the highest RTP (blackjack and video poker are the best for this).

Our Review Process

At Betsquare.com, as a leading online casino affiliate website, we maintain robust sourcing standards. Our insights are derived from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and authoritative industry associations. We steer clear of tertiary references, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our content. For a deeper understanding of our content verification processes, explore our editorial policy.

Our team of experts diligently monitors the online casino industry, ensuring our articles remain current and relevant by promptly incorporating the latest available information.
Current Version
Dec 7, 2022
Written By
Lisa Cheban
Edited By
Simon Young