Australia

Gambling is an extremely popular pastime in Australia, where an estimated 80% of adults enjoy some form of gambling or another. Australians gambled an eye-watering $209 billion between 2016 and 2017, which works out to an average of $11,000 per year, per person. That’s a lot of bets!

Sports betting is a particularly popular pursuit Down Under, where events like the Melbourne Cup horse race attract a huge amount of interest and wagers. Thousands of sports betting venues make it easy for Australians to make bets on their favourite events.

Slots, also known as ‘pokies’, are popular too and you can find these machines in restaurants, pubs, bars and other public places. Scratch cards, keno and lotteries are also available and provide gambling activities outside of the typical gambling environment. There is no shortage of gambling opportunities in Australia.

The Australian government has reacted to this reality by regulating gambling in Australia quite tightly, in an effort to prevent players developing problem gambling habits. With so many ways to gamble, it makes sense that the authorities will be interested in keeping their citizens safe.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Australia?

Australia is made up of eight territories – Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory – and this is important because each one has control over the gambling legislation that applies in that jurisdiction. You will notice small differences between the gambling laws of one territory and another.

One commonality that is worth mentioning in in-play betting. This is prohibited throughout the country of Australia and players cannot make in-play bets at all, not even via sportsbook operators licensed by the Australian state. In fact, as we will discuss later, an amendment to the most important piece of gambling legislation came about precisely because of in-game betting and the country’s commitment to keeping it off limits.

Each of the eight regions regulates gambling activities through law that came into force at different times. In some cases, these were enacted as early as the 1960s while others were only tabled in the 2000s.

With regards to online gambling, the most important piece of legislation is the Interactive Gambling Act, or IGA for short. This was passed in 2001 and following by the Interactive Gambling Amendment in 2016. With the IGA, Australia became one of the very first countries to regulate online play specifically, as by that time, the internet was only just coming into its own as a platform for gambling.

It is interesting to note that the IGA does not in fact refer to the act of gambling online but to the provision of these services. Essentially the IGC regulates operators, not players.

In a nutshell, the IGA prohibits operators from offering interactive gambling products (i.e. online casino games) to any customers, Australian or otherwise, unless the operator is licensed in Australia. The term ‘gambling products’ here refers to all the games we are used to enjoying at online casinos, including slots, table games, live casino games, and sports betting, as long as none of it is conducted in-game.

The 2016 amendment to the IGA served to close a few loopholes, in particular one that allowed in-game betting to take place over the phone. It also took a crack at online poker and the Australian operations of multiple online poker sites shut up shop as a result.

The take away from all this is that Australian players are allowed to gamble online to their hearts’ content, as long as the operator is licensed in Australia if it is based in the country, or the operator is based outside of Australia.

How we Review the Top Australia Casinos

Australians are avid gamblers and as such demand a certain calibre of online casino to satisfy their gambling needs. We take those criteria very seriously when we review and recommend casinos, as you can see below.

Safety & Security

We all want to feel like we are gambling in a secure environment and in this day and age, online security is a top priority for anyone who uses the internet. The casinos we recommend all prioritise these factors.

Welcome Bonuses

Many players measure the worth of a casino by its welcome bonus and we can’t disagree with that logic. We look for casinos that offer generous welcome bonuses with terms and conditions that are fair and easy to understand.

Deposit methods

Having a choice of deposit methods means that players can choose the one they prefer right off the bat. We strive to find brands that have multiple options that are secure and trustworthy.

Fast Payout

Making a withdrawal is the most rewarding part of the casino experience and we wouldn’t that marred by delays or issues. These casinos promise quick withdrawals with minimal fuss.

Mobile capabilities

We are always on the move nowadays and for those who want to take the casino adventure with them, mobile friendly casino sites are a must.

Customer Support

No one wants to deal with issues but if they should arise, you want a customer support team that is professional, polite and committed to finding a solution for the problem.

Established Game Providers

A casino is only as good as the games it offers and players should only wager their hard-earned cash at reputable game providers. Each of these studios will have passed every single title in their library through rigorous, independent testing to ensure that every one is completely fair and random.

Auditors put this software through its paces and any game that is not up to scratch must be withdrawn and improved before attempting the battery of tests again. Only approved games are allowed to be marketed and offered to players.

Licence and regulations

We firmly believe that only licensed casinos are worth even considering. Unlicensed casinos can lead to all manner of trouble and we want our readers to have the best possible experience every time, so only licensed casinos will be available here.

As there is no licensing body in Australia, players located in the country must depend on casinos licensed elsewhere to ensure a quality experience. The UKGC and the MGA are the leading European licensing bodies, which impose some of the strictest player safety rules and regulations in the industry. Casinos holding one or both of these licenses are guaranteed to be reputable and reliable.

Playing With Real Money – Can You Deposit AUD at Australia Online Casinos?

Australian players are very lucky in that their currency is widely accepted at online casinos. In fact, it’s right up there with American and Canadian dollars in frequency. Of course, there are casinos that do not accept AUD but casinos will usually exchange these deposits in real time.

A host of payment options are available to players in Australia, including credit and debit cards, e-wallet platforms like Neteller and Skrill as well as that old failsafe, Paypal. With this many choices, it is unlikely that any Australian player will have a problem depositing at an online casino.

Which Casino Games are Available in Australia

Aussie players can enjoy the whole gamut of online gambling options, with the exception of in-game sports betting. This means that slots, jackpots, table games, keno, scratch cards and other games are all available to Australin players.

Popular Casinos Accepting Australia Players

Royal Panda is a leading casino brand that accepts players based in Australia. Check out its big range of casino games, all hosted on a user friendly site that is intuitive and welcoming. Speaking of welcoming, Royal Panda offers a generous welcome bonus to all new players. Play on your desktop or mobile device and enjoy the full Royal Panda experience with the Loyal Panda points system.

As an Australian player, your first stop should be a casino’s terms and conditions. It is here that the brand will show which countries are restricted, as well as offering very useful info about bonuses, the terms of use etc. If Australia is not listed as a restricted country, you should be able to deposit and play with no problem.

Playing Online Casino Games With a Real Live Dealer

Players around the world enjoy the live dealer experience every day and this part of the industry is constantly innovating to bring fresh content to fans. Using live streaming technology, game developers like Evolution Gaming transmit video of a live dealer and their actions as they play games such as roulette, poker, blackjack and baccarat.

A number of exciting titles have also been introduced to the live casino category, including games like Monopoly Live, Deal or No Deal and others. As the live games sector continues to grow, we know that players from all corners of the globe will be enjoying these latest developments.

Casino Bonuses and Free Spins

The Bonuses or Promotions page at any casino is sure to get a whole lot of traffic and for good reason. Promotional opportunities or bonuses can make a good casino experience a great one. Players like to feel they are being rewarded for their loyalty to a brand and promotions are the perfect way to make users feel valued.

Bonuses can offer all kinds of rewards, from bonus cash to free chips to free spins and other goodies. When it comes to free spins, casinos tend to choose classics like Starburst or use the opportunity to promote newly released slots, which can be a great way to try a fresh title for free.

What is a Bonus Wagering Requirement?

Wagering requirements are generally applied to most sorts of bonuses, though some casinos offer wager-free bonuses, usually in the form of wager-free spins. A wagering requirements is a restriction placed by a casino that prevents players from immediately withdrawing winnings earned through bonus features like bonus cash or free spins.

Players must wager their win the specified number of times before a withdrawal is allowed otherwise the bonus is forfeited. Wagering requirements are always displayed beneath the bonus or promotion and can also be found in the terms and conditions.

The Casino Market in Australia

While in Australia, you can play at some 20 land-based casinos dotted around the eight territories. These usually include not just gambling opportunities but also fine dining and entertainment, as well as high-end accommodation.

The online gambling industry in the country is constantly in flux. Only recently, the state of Victoria released a raft of restrictions on the use of credit at online casinos, referral rewards and the use of complementary bets as incentives. Because each territory is in charge of its own gambling legislation, it is difficult to predict what the future of online gambling in Australia might look like as there are so many stakeholders influencing the outcome.

Online Casinos and Gambling Rules and Regulations in Australia

Each Australian territory controls its own gambling regulation, usually via institutions that also control liquor licensing. The Australian government does not currently license gambling activities so players will not be able to find Aussi-licensed online casinos.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is a nation-wide institution that ensures that all gambling operators in the country are sticking to the rules imposed by the respective territories they operate in.