What to do if winnings are not paid: legal protection
What to do if winnings are not paid: legal protection (Australia)
Current on: 11 August 2025
Short conclusion
The ability to recover winnings directly depends on whether the operator is legal in Australia.
Licensed interactive bookmakers and sweepstakes have a regulator and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Illegal online slots and casinos (banned under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001) have no legal protection mechanisms in Australia: ACMA blocks such services, but cannot force them to pay money.
1. First - define operator status
Legal operator: available in the register of licensed interactive operators on the ACMA website; operates under a state/territory license.
Illegal operator: absent in the register, provides prohibited interactive gambling services (online slots, casinos).
2. If the operator is licensed
1. Check contract terms (T&C) - payment terms, limits, requirements for KYC.
2. Collect evidence - screenshots of the win, correspondence with support, transaction history.
3. Contact the support service with a written claim (email, chat with the preservation of correspondence).
4. If no answer or refusal:
3. If the operator is illegal
The IGA prohibits the provision of such services, but does not provide for a refund to the player.
ACMA:
4. The role of financial and payment institutions
Banks and payment systems can block transactions on suspicion of fraud.
In the case of a licensed operator, you can challenge the transaction as chargeback (using Visa/Mastercard) if the service is not paid or not provided.
Chargeback is possible for illegal operators, but is often blocked by the bank itself due to violations of the rules of international settlements.
5. Practical tips to minimize risks
Play only with operators from the official ACMA registry.
Check license and payment terms before registering.
Store complete game and transaction history.
Not using VPNs and false data is the basis for refusing to pay even a licensed operator.
Do not send large deposits to unverified platforms.
6. Step-by-step procedure for non-payment
1. Check the status of the operator (ACMA registry).
2. If licensed - claim → state/territory regulator → court/external dispute resolution.
3. If illegal, a complaint to ACMA →, if necessary, an attempt to chargeback → to the police.
4. Record all evidence and do not make new rates/deposits.
Conclusion
Legal operator - there is a chance for protection through the regulator and the court.
Illegal operator - in Australia there is no legal mechanism for returning winnings; the main path is a complaint to ACMA and an attempt to dispute payments.
The best way to protect yourself is to initially choose licensed operators and avoid online slots, which are legally prohibited in Australia.
Current on: 11 August 2025
Short conclusion
The ability to recover winnings directly depends on whether the operator is legal in Australia.
Licensed interactive bookmakers and sweepstakes have a regulator and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Illegal online slots and casinos (banned under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001) have no legal protection mechanisms in Australia: ACMA blocks such services, but cannot force them to pay money.
1. First - define operator status
Legal operator: available in the register of licensed interactive operators on the ACMA website; operates under a state/territory license.
Illegal operator: absent in the register, provides prohibited interactive gambling services (online slots, casinos).
2. If the operator is licensed
1. Check contract terms (T&C) - payment terms, limits, requirements for KYC.
2. Collect evidence - screenshots of the win, correspondence with support, transaction history.
3. Contact the support service with a written claim (email, chat with the preservation of correspondence).
4. If no answer or refusal:
- Complaint to the licensing state/territory regulator (e.g. NT Racing Commission, Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission).
- A number of jurisdictions have external dispute resolution bodies (e.g. NT - Northern Territory Racing Commission Complaint Form).
- 5. With serious amounts - consultation with a lawyer and filing a lawsuit.
3. If the operator is illegal
The IGA prohibits the provision of such services, but does not provide for a refund to the player.
ACMA:
- accepts complaints about prohibited services;
- can investigate, add a domain to the list of locks;
- does not return winnings or negotiate payments.
- Attempts to collect money through foreign licensing authorities (Curacao, Malta, etc.) are extremely ineffective: the process is complex, and operators often use nominal companies.
- The main advice: stop interacting, save evidence for a complaint to the ACMA and, if necessary, to the police (if there is fraud).
4. The role of financial and payment institutions
Banks and payment systems can block transactions on suspicion of fraud.
In the case of a licensed operator, you can challenge the transaction as chargeback (using Visa/Mastercard) if the service is not paid or not provided.
Chargeback is possible for illegal operators, but is often blocked by the bank itself due to violations of the rules of international settlements.
5. Practical tips to minimize risks
Play only with operators from the official ACMA registry.
Check license and payment terms before registering.
Store complete game and transaction history.
Not using VPNs and false data is the basis for refusing to pay even a licensed operator.
Do not send large deposits to unverified platforms.
6. Step-by-step procedure for non-payment
1. Check the status of the operator (ACMA registry).
2. If licensed - claim → state/territory regulator → court/external dispute resolution.
3. If illegal, a complaint to ACMA →, if necessary, an attempt to chargeback → to the police.
4. Record all evidence and do not make new rates/deposits.
Conclusion
Legal operator - there is a chance for protection through the regulator and the court.
Illegal operator - in Australia there is no legal mechanism for returning winnings; the main path is a complaint to ACMA and an attempt to dispute payments.
The best way to protect yourself is to initially choose licensed operators and avoid online slots, which are legally prohibited in Australia.
