The Legality of Online Gambling In Australia

Punters have access to online gambling in Australia, but there are limits to what they can do. Due to the country’s strict laws, they can only access legal platforms that follow strict rules and regulations. We would like to explain how the country’s gambling law works, which organizations monitor and certify its online operators, and the main rules for becoming a legal online gambling provider.

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Is Online Gambling Legal in Australia?

It’s legal for Australian players to gamble at licensed local and foreign companies. While online platforms first appeared in 1996, the law regulating their activity on a federal level, the Interactive Gambling Act, was passed in 2001. To properly handle the challenges of new gambling technologies, lawmakers further updated the document in 2017 via the Amendment Act.

These acts dictate the acceptable and forbidden activities for the country’s online operators. The IGA states that the following practices are:

While punters face no legal consequences for accessing illegal websites, the same isn’t true for online operators. Domestic and foreign companies can have their websites blocked in Australia and receive daily fines of up to $1.1 million until they comply with the local laws.

Additional provisions of the Amendment Act

Sixteen years later, the government updated the rules for online gambling among Australian platforms in the 2017 Interactive Gambling Amendment Act. The document introduced several new regulations and updates:

1. All online platforms must have a license for their gambling product.
2. Higher penalties, including the possibility of website blocking.
3. Banned credit betting to decrease the risk of obsessive gambling.
4. New customer complaint tools that can help identify rule breakers.
5. Bigger restrictions on in-play betting to reduce impulsive behaviors.

These provisions make gambling in Australia highly regulated. Since the first bans in 2019, 926 illegal gambling websites have been blocked in the country. Lawmakers claim these restrictions protect vulnerable punters and regulate the gambling market.

ACMA – Australia’s Online Gambling Overseer

Under the Interactive Gambling Act and its amendment, the Australian Communications and Media Authority maintains order in this industry. The ACMA regulates all types of online content and ensures betting platforms' legal, ethical, and responsible work. Its responsibilities include:

• Blocking illegal websites. ACMA blocks access to illegal domestic and offshore platforms through internet service providers.
  
• Enforcing penalties. All operators breaking the IGA can get fines and penalties, regardless of where they’re registered.
  
• Monitoring operators. This organization routinely analyzes and evaluates online platforms for compliance with the law.
  
• Protecting customers. Players can complain to ACMA about illegal gambling practices and operators.
  

The organization provides information about online gambling rules for players, self-exclusion from online and phone bets, and a list of legally licensed platforms that individuals can explore. Additionally, the ACMA provides guidelines for acceptable gambling ads that run online, on TV, or radio.

Requirements for a legal gambling license in Australia

While ACMA monitors online platforms' conduct, the regional authorities issue operating licenses for gambling websites. An operator must file their documents with a territory according to the type of service they wish to provide. For example, the Northern Territory Racing Commission is a popular body for registering online sports betting operators.

To become eligible for a license, a candidate must:

• Prove they’re able to pay the winnings and operate responsibly.
• Have experience operating in compliance with the jurisdiction of other countries.
• Fully disclose information about their key figures and stakeholders.
• Participate in support and self-exclusion programs for compulsive players.
• Adhere to the current ACMA advertising guidelines.
• Pay the necessary licensing fees.

Final Thoughts

Because the current laws provide no guidelines for players, we strongly suggest they learn about the main rules of responsible gambling. They will allow punters to enjoy this activity and reduce the risk of becoming obsessive betters.