Australian Gambling License

Online gambling in Australia is regulated by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).

The IGA was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament on 28 June 2001 and was given Royal Assent by the Governor-General on 11 July 2001. The passage of the IGA was a turning point in Australian gambling legislation and the Government's policy of preventing the escalation of the harmful effects of gambling on the Australian community.

The IGA targets the providers of interactive gambling services, not their potential or actual customers. The IGA makes it an offence to provide an interactive gambling service to a customer physically present in Australia.

After lifting the country’s eight-year-old online gaming ban introduction of IGA has created favorable environment for significant expansion of remote gambling services in the country.

The IGA made it an offence to provide poker and casino to Australian residents, leading to an estimated total of AU$790m being spent on offshore sites in 2009.

Some concessions are made for online sports betting providers since it's not illegal to offer internet sports betting to Australian residents. It is also totally legal for Australian residents to engage in online gambling so long as they are not a provider.

Online wagering

Online wagering is allowed under the IGA, except where wagers are accepted online after a sporting event has started, or use real-time, 'ball by ball' betting. Therefore, an online bet on a particular tennis match can be accepted during a tennis tournament but not after that particular match has started. Online bets during a match as to whether the next serve will be an ace are prohibited. Online wagering on a non-sporting event, before or after it has started, is exempt. Telephone betting via a standard voice call is exempt from the IGA.

Online lotteries

Online lotteries and the online sale of lottery tickets are not prohibited by the IGA.

The exception is for online instant and scratch lotteries, which in practice are virtually indistinguishable from other online, player-initiated games. The Minister has the discretion under section 10 of the IGA to make future regulations to ban highly repetitive or frequently drawn forms of keno-type lottery or similar types of lottery that are provided to customers using interactive communications networks or media.

The information package on interactive gambling in Australia is currently undergoing extensive review. To obtain current information, please contact the Commission on +61 2 6207 2086, or email inquiries to grc@act.gov.au.

Legal Law Practices Contacts

1. Rosendorff Lawyers
   Level 3
   10 Queens Rd
   Melbourne 3004
   Australia
   Phone: +1300 760614
   Fax: +61 3 83202905
   Website: www.rosendorff.com.au
   Main Contact: diannew@rosendorff.com.au

1.  Avanti Lawyers – Attorneys in Bundall, Australia
   International Full Service Law Firm for Corporations & Individuals
   31 Crombie St
   Bundall 4217 QLD
   Australia
   Tel: +617 55 280 999
   Fax: +617 55 187 600
2. Cowell Clarke – Attorneys in Adelaide, Australia
   Commercial Legal Services
   Level 5
   63 Pirie Street
   Adelaide 5000
   Australia
   Tel: +61 8 82281111
   Fax: +61 8 82281100
3. PLN Lawyers Sydney (Pacific Legal Network) – Attorneys in Sydney, Australia
   Legal and Business Advisory services across the Pacific
   Level 3, 222 Clarence Street
   GPO Box 5072
   Sydney 2000
   Australia
   
   Tel: +61 2 9267 7344
   Fax: +61 2 9267 7644