With over 80% of Australian adults engaging in some form of gambling Australia is the gambling capital of the world. Sports betting, race betting, casino table games and poker are some of the most popular gambling markets in Australia. However betting on the pokies, also known as slot machines, is by far the most popular betting activity in Australia. Pokies are electronic gaming machines that contain a selection of poker hands or a series of spinning reels. They offer huge payouts for a small investment and are a common sight in Australian pubs, casinos, social clubs and hotels. As a matter of fact Australia has more pokies than any other country in the world!
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Gambling laws in Australia
The Australian gambling industry is regulated by State and Territory authorities. Below you will find a list of these authorities:
- Australian Capital Territory – ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
- New South Wales – New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing
- Northern Territory – Licensing Commission
- Queensland – Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation
- South Australia – Independent Gambling Authority
- Tasmania – Tasmanian Gaming Commission
- Victoria – Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation
- Western Australia – Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor
Since the introduction of online gambling and other new gambling services the Commonwealth have also taken a more active role in regulating gambling. One of the first results being the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) in 2011. The introduction of this gambling act focused on gambling operators. Those operators could no longer offer or advertise “real-money” interactive online gambling to Australian residents. The act does not prohibit Australians to make use of gambling operator services, meaning that Australians were (and still are) free to play at online casinos and gambling websites. The law also allowed exceptions for specific types of online gambling in Australia. The best example being sports betting which is allowed as long at the betting takes place before the start of the event and not during the event. Reasoning for this specific exception being that online gambling in Australia is only illegal once it is interactive and pre-match betting is not considered interactive.
More than ten years after the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Act was implemented the Act was reviewed by the Australian government. Conclusion being that the Interactive Gambling Bill did not help Australian gamblers, because most gamblers started to use prohibited sites for their online gambling, including lots with subpar player protection programs. Other gamblers found creative ways to get around restrictions like for example using mobile phones to place wagers during live events.
This review led to Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill which came into effect in September 2017. With this amendment online casino gaming is also prohibited when the casino is legally licensed by a reputable offshore gambling jurisdiction. The bill also changed the grey area around poker from grey to black, meaning that online poker is now illegal in Australia with the situation for players being comparable to the United States. However, the focus stays ons gambling operators! This means that Australian gamblers will not be penalised when gambling online. To ensure you only gamble with reputable and trustworthy online gambling sites we provide a few options available for Australian gamblers and bettors further down this article. You can also check out our Top 10 lists of gambling sites via these links:
Gambling tax in Australia
A great thing about both offline and online gambling in Australia is that your winnings are yours and the Australian government does not require you to pay taxes over your gambling winnings. There are three main reasons for that:
- The government taxes gambling operators instead of gamblers.
- Gambling is not considered as a profession, but as a recreational activity or hobby.
- Gains from gambling are not considered income, but a result of good luck.
Best Australian gambling sites
As an Australian gambler you want to be sure you’re playing at a reputable gambling website where Australians are welcome, the safety and security of your account and funds is a number 1 priority and all your favorite gambling games and markets are available. Based on these criteria we came up with our favorite Australian gambling operators. The gambling operators mentioned are all cryptocurrency and Bitcoin friendly gambing websites. We specifically chose these kinds of gambling operators, because they have a few unique selling points which are of interest to Aussies:
- Increased privacy
- Fast deposits and withdrawals
- Worlwide access
- High limits
Best Australian online Bitcoin casinos
If you want to top our list of favorite Bitcoin casinos for Australian citizens you need pokies, pokies and even more pokies. Additionally you have to provide a nice selection of live dealer games and card games. Pick your favorite provider from the list and enjoy online Bitcoin gambling in a great casino!
| Rank | Casino | First deposit bonus | Rating | Register now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 130% up to 1 Bitcoin + 250 free spins |  (5 / 5) |  |
| 2 |  | 100% up to 5 Bitcoin | (5 / 5) | |
| 3 |  | 110% up to 1 Bitcoin |  (4.5 / 5) | |
| 4 |  | 100% up to 1 Bitcoin |  (4 / 5) | |
| 5 |  | 100% up to 1 Bitcoin (or €100) and 180 free spins | (4 / 5) | |
Best Australian online Bitcoin sportsbooks
Yes, placing a bet before the start of a match is fun, but wait till you’ve tried the fun of live betting at one of our favorite Aussie friendly online Bitcoin sportsbooks!
| Rank | Sportsbook | Bonus | Rating | Register now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 100% first deposit up to 5 BTC | (5 / 5) | |
| 2 |  | 100% first deposit bonus up to 1 BTC | (5 / 5) | |
| 3 | | 100% first deposit bonus up to 1 BTC | (5 / 5) | |
| 4 | | 110% up to 1 Bitcoin | (4.5 / 5) | |
| 5 |  | 100% Bitcoin bonus up to $2000 | (4 / 5) | |
Best Australian online Bitcoin poker sites
After Australian Joe Hachem won the World Series of Poker in 2015 and winning $7.5 million in the process Australians got interested in online poker. After the Interactive Gambling Act Amendment Bill passed major poker operators such as Pokerstars stopped accepting players who reside in Australia. Fortunately not all operators stopped catering Aussie poker players from playing from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Pick your favorite poker site from the list below and start playing!
| Rank | Website | First deposit bonus | Rating | Register now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 200% sign-up bonus | (5 / 5) | |
| 2 |  | No deposit bonus available. | (4.5 / 5) | |
| 3 | | 100% first deposit bonus up to 1 BTC | (4.5 / 5) | |
| 4 | | 100% Bitcoin bonus up to $2000 | (4 / 5) | |
| 5 |  | 100% Bitcoin bonus up to $2000 | (4 / 5) | |
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