Oversight of these companies falls to the NT Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC), a body that functions as the de facto regulator for online gambling across Australia. However, a recent investigation by ABC’s Four Corners revealed troubling details:

• The commission convenes only monthly
• Lacks full-time staff
• Has not published an annual report since 1993 (until recently)

The exposé also highlighted allegations of industry favoritism and conflicts of interest within the NTRWC. Complaints against operators reportedly faced years-long delays, and the commission was found to have limited authority to conduct thorough investigations, leading to minimal penalties.

Critics Make Their Voices Heard

During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, Darwin-based independent MLA Justine Davis called on Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby to refer the Racing and Wagering Act to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee (LCAC) for detailed examination. This legislation defines the commission’s powers and responsibilities, as well as the standards for its members.

Davis criticized the commission’s leadership, citing instances in which the chair allegedly accepted hospitality from bookmakers and maintained personal betting accounts. She argued that if such conduct is permissible under current law, then the legislation itself is flawed. “The NTRWC was never designed to serve as a national regulator, and it is not equipped to fulfill that role,” she stated.

In response to the Four Corners report, the NT government announced it would investigate the claims of conflict of interest.

Online Gambling In Australia

Australia has recently introduced significant reforms to its online gambling laws, focusing on consumer protection, regulatory oversight, and enforcement. While domestic operators are barred from offering their service online to Australian players, they can apply for a license to operate online in other countries.

Despite the lack of domestic online casinos, residents do have access to legal Australian online gambling sites operating from outside of the country. Online gambling options include online casinos, sportsbooks, poker sites, and racebooks.

Current AU gambling laws do not set penalties for online gambling with an offshore regulator; however, it is recommended that players wager only with licensed sites, as they offer additional player protections.

While all online casino gambling is considered illegal according to the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, players can still access the sites with a VPN, and many still do. However, the number of licensed gambling ventures in Australia is limited, with exceptions only for Australian licensed gambling ventures such as sports betting.

The crypto ban aims to promote responsible gambling and fiscal responsibility online. Operators caught accepting digital assets can face a fine of up to 234,750 AU dollars.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Australia?

According to current gambling laws, only online casinos licensed by the AU government can offer their services to guests and residents.

AU officials have found blocking access to online casino sites easier than fighting it individually. However, getting caught gambling online can result in stiff penalties and possibly jail time for multiple offenders.

How Many Casinos Are In Australia?

There are 14 gambling houses in the country, most of which are in the southeastern part. The oldest casino was first legitimized in 1973 in Hobart and is still in operation today. Below is a current list of AU casinos for 2026.

• The Star – Sydney
• Crown Sydney – Sydney
• Casino Canberra – Canberra
• Lasseters Hotel Casino – Alice Springs
• The Star Gold Coast – Gold Coast
• Mindil Beach Casino Resort – Darwin
• The Reef Hotel Casino – Cairns, Queensland
• The Ville Resort-Casino – Townsville
• Treasury Casino – Brisbane
• SkyCity Adelaide – Adelaide
• Country Club Tasmania – Launceston
• Wrest Point Casino – Hobart
• Crown Casino Perth – Perth
• Crown Melbourne – Melbourne

What Gambling Options Are Available Online?

Online you will find tons of slots, pokies, blackjack, roulette, craps, live dealer games, specialty game like bingo and keno, and more. You will also find sites that accept the Australian Dollar (AUD) and traditional methods like bank cards, wire transfers, and other payment methods.

While cryptocurrency has changed the online gambling landscape for local operators, legal online casinos accepting players in AU still support crypto transactions if you are outside the country or willing to risk it.

We suggest you abide by local regulations and avoid sites that could result in fines or further punishment. However, if you gamble, be aware of the risks, as they could result in prosecution.

The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill first emerged in November of last year as a product of Australian Minister for Human Services Alan Tudge. Tudge’s intent was to revise the outdated online gambling law of 2001. Australia’s first Interactive Gambling Act did a shoddy job of clarifying the legality of iGaming services, with online sports betting as the only clearly dignified legal means of online gambling. Legal Australia online casino and poker games were left in a gray area, allowing iGaming operators to service Australian players for over 15 years with no regulatory requirements from the Commonwealth.

This new amendment bill strictly prohibits unlicensed iGaming operators from targeting Australian players. Even though the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill’s intention was to increase clarification, it does not feature provisions on how international operators could apply for licenses to enter the Aussie market. As the bill stands, online casino and poker games are practically illegal. The legislation was successfully passed in the House, the Senate (after some revisions) and now the upper House of Parliament.

When the bill was first introduced, large online casino and poker operators existing in the Australian market were left confused as to what their legal status was. Brands like Vera&John, 32Red and 888Poker left the market before the bill entered the House in anticipation of its effects. Gaming Innovation Group, a parent company hosting several large iGaming brands, also left after the bill initially passed through the lower House. PokerStars, one of the world’s leading online gambling brands, remained stagnant within the Australian market throughout the duration of the legislative process. They recently issued a statement to local punters that they would be withdrawing their Australian services sometime in mid-September.

With online poker essentially illegal, the local online poker community has been fighting for the government to overturn their harsh ruling. So far, their efforts have been somewhat successful. The Australian Senate’s Environment and Communications References Committee listened to local players, lawmakers and other stakeholders on the state of the online poker industry in Australia. Arguments on why legalizing online poker would be more beneficial than a strict ban on iGaming were also presented to the committee. The committee is expected to compile a report detailing their inquiry findings, considering all the feedback they received from the local online poker community. Their report is due by September 21, giving ample time for review and at the very least, a fighting chance for those who support online gaming.

Australia is one of the world’s leading gambling markets, so it is a bit surprising that the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill is being so stringent regarding international iGaming operators. Groups like PokerStars, 888Poker and the others who left are losing out on a profitable market. If the committee’s report ends up helping to overturn the government’s ruling, perhaps a new strategy can be drafted, one that includes regulatory requirements satisfying both the Aussie government and international operators looking to do business.

There have been debates that circle the issue of stricter penalties for businesses that market these offshore gambling products and services to Australians. They have also flirted with the idea of blocking payments to these sites by adding some regulation to the financial institutions that are inevitably involved in such an industry. This has created an opportunity for Bitcoin. While Australians look for offshore sites for the most recent money lines and the possibility of larger bets, they will have to use Bitcoin so ensure their payments are processed correctly.

This all came about after the report issued by Barry O’Farrell was released and drew light on the ambiguity of the initial Interactive Gambling Act. The review drew a lot of attention and Australian politicians where put in a position where they needed to fill the loopholes of the previous bill. This led to the Minister for Human Services to lead the charge on this new amendment.

Despite claiming the noble cause of problem gambling to have motivated this bill, the truth about this amendment finally came out. It was postulated to be about the Australian government’s inability to tax offshore gambling rather than the increasing likelihood of problem gambling in its citizens. The government just can’t claim a righteous piece of the revenue pie. Senator David Leyonhjlem was frustrated with the truth he saw to be true and commented “Screw the government and get a VPN.”

Because of this, a few huge offshore gambling brands have left the Australian market in fear that the Australian government will pass this amendment and thus put them in contention with their legal regulation in their home countries. Licensed bookies in Australia have faced restrictions on offering lines of credit and advertising in particular arenas. Bitcoin bookies, on the other hand, can offer these services as more people start to turn their heads in the way of the digital cryptocurrency.

The Australian government is even going to make the use of Bitcoin a lot easier in the country, coincidentally enough. They plan on removing the bitcoin double-taxation as revealed in the 2017 July 1st federal budget. Although the Australian government clearly has not done this with offshore gamblers in mind, they have, maybe accidentally, made it less expensive for those who wish to use the cryptocurrency at legally sanctioned offshore gambling websites that allow Aussie players.

You can learn more about the proposed amendment here: Interactive Gambling Act of 2016

The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill effectively made it illegal for any offshore online gambling operators to court customers from within the borders of Australia. Australia has been known as one of the most prolific gambling destinations in the world and until recently, offshore gambling providers have been able to successfully do business in the country based on the blurry laws that didn’t cover the multitude of legal situations of online gambling. Since the recent passing of the IGA amendment bill, foreign operators of online gambling has been forced out of the country entirely, save for their sports gambling counterparts.

Since the news got out that the IGA amendment was gaining traction, poker enthusiasts from around Australia have banded together in numerous attempts to save their beloved poker from being banished forever. The most notable of these attempts came from the Australia Online Poker Alliance, the last rebellion of online poker in Australia. Despite their valiant effort, they too came up short in the fight to legislate and regulate domestic based online poker in Australia.

A new hope, however, has arrived. Just a short time ago on a Wednesday in mid-September, a new proposal was spotted floating around in Australian legislature that would offer a reprieve for the deprived and depleting online poker rebellion in the country. The Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield and Liberal Democrat Party Senator, David Leyonhjelm are the emblematic Jedi Knights that have chosen to fight this cause from the beginning and have already been a part of various attempts in the past.

Mitch Fifield said last Tuesday that the government was finally “favorably disposed” to the suggestion of regulating and licensing online poker domestically. The department under his command has already begun the preliminary measures in organizing their approach. Rallying support from Sen. Leyonhjelm, the ban on online poker is now being examined by a Senate Committee, which will report on their findings in the middle of October.

Both Fifield and Leyonhjelm have taken the positions that online poker enthusiasts in Australia will play online poker whether or not it has been made legal. That, by banning such an industry, only puts those players at higher risk of dealing with unregulated and unscrupulous online poker providers.

“Australian online poker players deserve to have a safe, regulated environment in which to enjoy their pastime and not be forced into using offshore sites,” said, Leyonhjelm.