At the moment, the only forms of online gambling that are entirely legal in Australia are Sports betting, betting on auto racing and online lottery.
All other forms of online gambling are presently forbidden in Australia. Although Australian law prohibits online gambling in the country, players will not get in trouble for gambling at offshore online casinos. This means that the casino you are playing at could get in trouble, but players are safe from any prosecution. Be aware that playing at an online casino accepting Australians is not the same as playing at some USA or European casinos. Because of the very strict regulations concerning online gameplay, you should be careful and make sure you choose the best online, reputable casino Australia, just to stay on the safe side.
Not only did the big name casinos and poker sites leave the market when the law was defined in 2017, but more and more game providers are also leaving too. The reason for this has to do with licensing on two levels. Major regulators like the UKGC and Malta Gaming Authority frown upon developers and providers that service unregulated markets. As a rule, if a software product (Microgaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, etc.) is licensed by the UKGC, that provider will usually not license their games to an operator who allows Australian players.
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The Federal and regional governments have chosen, so far, not to license online casinos and poker sites, nor offer player protections. That makes it all the more important for consumers to keep themselves informed, as well as arm themselves with the tools to collect their own funds should a disagreement occur.
Licensing - Considering the fact it took more than a decade and a half for parliament to clearly define what the IGA 2001 was supposed to accomplish, we don't expect the regional governments to race to be the first to offer online casino licenses in the country. That means you will need to depend on another country's regulator for consumer protection.
While some jurisdictions are certainly better than others, about all you can do is confirm that a site is indeed licensed. Most Curacao licensed online casinos provide a clickable link in the footer of their website that will bring up a license validator.
Secure Platform - All personal and financial data should be transmitted over an encrypted secure socket layer (SSL-128 or 256). That is always the case for the casino's protection as well as your own. However, if you get a browser warning that a website is not secure, or that a security certificate has expired, click away rather than proceeding.
Payment Methods - This can be a difficult area for some new players or those coming back online after the big companies pulled out. The good news is that casinos accepting Australian players have solutions for you.
While Neteller, Skrill, and Paysafecard may no longer be an option, there is always something you can use, like Neosurf. You may need to deposit using a credit or debit card and withdraw to your bank account. It's always changing in soft-prohibition markets and a quick chat with customer service will get you up to speed or up to date. Bitcoin anyone?
Player reviews - In addition to reading review sites, it's always good to visit player forums to get a more up to the moment perspective. Other players will freely share their experiences and it's easy enough to spot a shill or a sore loser.
Yes, of course! Online casinos in Australia still have to compete for your business. If you shop around a little bit and compare offers you'll be able to choose welcome bonuses and reloads to extend playtime and increase your odds of winning a jackpot.
Yes. Nearly all online casinos now offer Adobe Flash and HTML5 casino games that you can play in any web browser, even on mobile. The mobile lobby might have fewer games in it, but every type of game will be there and almost all new games are released in HTML5 now. Android and iOS devices such as iPads and iPhones are also supported with or without apps at most casinos.
No. You'll be able to find online casinos with every sort of game imaginable including pokies, classic slots, video poker, bingo, keno, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, you name it. Many live dealerstreams still serve Australian players and dedicated poker sites with huge player pools in the US and elsewhere are happy to entertain your action. The tax regime is not terrible for licensed Aussie bookmakers, so home-based odds are not at all bad. But you can still bet offshore if you want to, especially if you prefer in-play betting.
No. If you take a few minutes to study the cashier section of a prospective online casino and familiarize yourself with the advantages and limitations of certain payment methods you should have no problems. When in doubt, simply shout out! A customer service representative will be able to help you with any questions and possibly suggest some unadvertised methods to let you get back to gaming or enjoying your winnings as soon as possible.
