Gambling, both land-based and online, is an activity that millions of Aussies love to partake. In fact, the country leads the world when it comes to the rate of gambling, with 80% of the adult population engaging in some kind of wagering on a regular basis. With this said, you do not need anyone to tell you that it's legal for Aussies to participate in various real-money wagering activities.
Read on to learn more about the country's internet gambling law and how to find the best legal online casino sites for Australian players.
The Commonwealth of Australia is home to many gambling enthusiasts. The practice of betting and wagering on different games has been part of the country's culture for decades, and it is widely considered as a hobby or recreational activity by millions of Aussies. The most popular games for the residents of the country include sports betting, slot machines (pokies), and video poker.
Legal gambling in AU is regulated at both the Federal and State or Territory level. Each of the country's eight mainland States and Territories has laws that authorize and regulate wagering within their jurisdictions. Basically, the authorities in these States and Territories regulate land-based gambling activities such as sports betting, retail lottery, bingo, poker, and casino gaming.
Here is a list of the relevant regulatory authority in each Jurisdiction:
In addition to these authorities, there is the independent Australasian Gaming Council which promotes gambling education and responsible gaming to citizens throughout the country. The Council also provides assistance to those with gambling-related problems.
The Federal government oversees the country's online gambling industry. The main legislation governing the activity in the country is the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. The law prohibits operators from offering or marketing real money internet casino gaming services to citizens of the country. However, operators may still apply for an online gaming permit in the Northern Territory as long as they offer their products and services to people residing outside the country.
Even though the Federal government does not allow gambling operators to offer internet gaming services to Australians, Aussies can still access and gamble at online casinos that are licensed and regulated in other jurisdictions like Malta, Gibraltar, and the United Kingdom. The fact that the federal government has never prosecuted any citizen for playing at offshore websites is enough proof that it's legal to do so.
There are scores of real money gambling sites that accept players from the country and it is perfectly legal to play on these platforms. All you need to do is ensure that the operator holds a legitimate remote gaming license from a credible regulatory authority. We also recommend that you confirm if the website has free spins offers and other bonuses for Aussies before joining. Mobile compatibility is also of the essence if you love to play your favorite games on the go. You can find plenty of these websites in our list of the best online casinos for Australian players.
The best online casinos AU offer a wide variety of games that you can play for fun or with real money wagers. The majority of these games are powered by leading software providers like Aristocrat, IGT, Quickspin, Betsoft, Booming Games, Rival Gaming, Evolution, Microgaming, NetEnt, and Play N' Go.
Naturally, online pokies or slots are the most popular games for Aussies and there are plenty of them at the top Australian casinos. In addition to pokies, these platforms also offer other types of casino games such as Video Poker, Baccarat, Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Bingo, Keno, Sic Bo, and live dealer games.
Australian players have a healthy variety of options when it comes to online casino banking. The top real money gambling websites in the country accept several methods of payment that are safe, fast, and convenient for the players. These include MasterCard, Visa, and Maestro credit and debit cards. Other popular deposit methods Poli Banking, Neosurf, Bank Wire, ecoPayz, PayPal, Paysafecard, Skrill, and Bitcoin. You will also be pleased to know that the AUD is widely accepted at the top internet casinos in the country.
