Legal online casinos by state in Australia

Legal online casinos by state in Australia

Current on: 11 August 2025

Short conclusion

There are no legal online casinos in Australia, including online slots, in any state or territory. Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA), their provision to Australians is prohibited at the federal level. Licenses issued by states and territories may cover land-based casinos and interactive betting, but not online casino games.

1. Federal IGA ban

IGA regulates interactive gambling services throughout Australia.
It is expressly prohibited to provide:
  • online slots;
  • online roulette, blackjack, poker;
  • other casino games for real money.
  • The ban applies regardless of which state or territory the operator is located in.
  • Violations entail investigations and blocking by ACMA.

2. How gambling is licensed in Australia

Licenses are issued by state and territory regulators, but they cannot overturn the federal IGA ban.
Example organs:
  • VIC —Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC)*
  • NSW —NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC)*
  • NT —Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC)*
  • QLD —Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR)*
  • TAS —Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission*
  • SA —Consumer and Business Services (CBS)*
  • WA —Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries*
  • ACT —Access Canberra*

3. Allowed online services by state

Only IGA compliant online products are allowed in all jurisdictions:
  • Interactive sports and horse racing betting (if licensed).
  • Lotteries and keno (online access under license).
  • Bingo and promo draws (if they comply with the rules and are not subject to the ban).

4. Land-based casinos by state (by comparison)

Although online casinos are prohibited, land-based casinos may be licensed in each state or territory:
  • VIC — Crown Melbourne.
  • NSW — The Star Sydney.
  • QLD — The Star Gold Coast, Treasury Brisbane, The Ville Townsville.
  • WA — Crown Perth.
  • SA — SkyCity Adelaide.
  • TAS - Wrest Point (Hobart), Country Club (Launceston).
  • NT — Mindil Beach Casino Resort.
  • ACT — Casino Canberra.

5. Why there are no legal online casinos by state

The IGA imposes a federal ban that takes precedence over state and territory licenses.
Even if a state wanted to license an online casino, it would require a change in federal law.
For this reason, all online casinos available to Australians but not in the betting or lottery category are offshore and illegal.

6. How a player can check the legality of an online operator

1. Check the type of games offered with the list of allowed ones by IGA.
2. Check the presence of an operator in the register of licensed interactive operators on the ACMA website.
3. Eliminating slots, roulette, blackjack and poker online are always outlawed for Australian audiences.
4. If in doubt, submit a request or complaint to ACMA.

7. The difference between "legal" and "affordable"

Legal - has an Australian license and offers only permitted services.
Accessible - can be an offshore site or application operating without a license; access is not equal to legality.

Table: Online Gaming by State and Territory

State/TerritoryOnline Casinos (Slots)Online BettingLotteries/Keno
VICForbiddenAllowedAllowed
NSWProhibitedAllowedAllowed
QLDForbiddenAllowedAllowed
WAForbiddenAllowedAllowed
SAForbiddenAllowedAllowed
TASForbiddenAllowedAllowed
NTForbiddenAllowedAllowed
ACTForbiddenAllowedAllowed

Conclusion

There are no legal online casinos with games like slots, roulette or blackjack in any state or territory in Australia. IGA federal law makes such services prohibited for Australian players, regardless of region. Only interactive bets and individual lotteries remain legal, and all offshore casinos operate outside the legal field.