Simon Carling profile picture
By Simon Carling
Gambling Expert

While Australians have a real reputation for being fans of pokies, with a huge percentage of Aussies playing regularly, online betting/online gambling is a whole different ballgame altogether.

Online Betting, Gambling, Australia And The Law

Online Betting Sites 2024 - Top Betting Online For Australia

While there are no online casinos based in Australia, online gambling/online betting remains common in Oz because there's no law that prevents international casinos or gambling sites from offering their services to those Down Under.

Strictly speaking, online casinos aren't supposed to advertise their services to those in Australia but the government has never chosen to pursue legal action against a site located overseas. Online betting/online gambling thus remains very common in Australia.

Additionally, there is some leniency in the law that means sports betting is exempt from the law preventing gambling operators from operating within Australia.

Advantages

Online gambling, Australia and happy punters go hand in hand for a few different reasons. This isn't exactly a small country, but there are only a handful of land-based gambling venues that offer much except for pokies.

Online betting allows Australians to place wagers without having to face a lengthy drive, so it's easy to see why betting on the web has quickly become so popular.

Across the world, not just in Australia, online betting is so popular because it means that with just a few clicks punters can find the best odds for the event they want to bet on.

But betting for real money on the web has more to offer than just the best odds; you'll also find a much wider range of sports/races to bet on, and many different types of bets to place.

Security And Australia Online Gambling/Online Betting Sites

The fact that there are no online casinos based in Australia puts off some punters in Oz, because they worry that they won't be able to pursue legal action or even register an official complaint if they don't receive their winnings.

This isn't something sports bettors need to worry about, as the top sportsbooks operating in Australia are subject to regulation and regular testing to ensure that they are operating correctly.

If you do encounter a problem when playing, though this is extremely unlikely if you follow our recommendations for Australia online gambling/online betting, you can rest assured that you can lodge a complaint with the proper authorities and hopefully see a positive outcome from that.

Free Online Bets For Australians

One of the biggest advantages of online betting/online gambling is that, because there are so many sites vying for the attention of Aussie gamblers in 2024, virtually every site offers a welcome bonus or free real money bet for people who sign up.

In the case of online casinos, these welcome bonuses sometimes have wagering requirements attached to them, which makes it a little difficult (but far from impossible) to actually cash out that bonus.

Free bets are much more straightforward, as sites generally either offer a no deposit free bet – which gives you a few AUD to play with and whet your appetite for online betting – or a match bonus that gives you bonus bets equivalent to the value of your first deposit, up to a maximum.

For some of the top free bets available to Australian players, just check out the links below. You can get playing in a matter of minutes, and you can rest assured that these sites passed all of our rigorous tests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online gambling legal in Australia?

While it is not legal to operate an online betting site from Australia offering services to Australian clients, there is no restriction on Australians choosing to bet online with international sites. Gambling legislation in relation to online betting is aimed at providers rather than users, so there is no issue with Australian players signing up with online gambling sites.

Are certain types of gambling popular?

Sport betting has always been the number one interest for Aussie punters, with plenty of big name companies catering to the Australian market. Pokies are also a huge favourite for players from this country, and other casino classics like roulette and blackjack remain enduringly popular. Poker has grown over the past decade or so, while online bingo is opening up the game to a new generation of young online players.

How do I sign up for real money games?

Registering with an online casino or sport betting site takes no more than a couple of minutes, after which you are ready to start funding your account. Note that you will be expected to supply the online betting site with some form of ID such as a scan of a driving license or utility bill, but all such documents are stored securely and only used for identification purposes.

How much do I stand to win?

The sky is the limit when it comes to potential winnings from online gambling sites. There are countless cases of people who have made it rich either from systematic sports betting profits, from canny play at the poker tables, or simply from striking it lucky on some of the progressive jackpot pokie games available at most online casinos.

What is the online gambling experience like on mobile?

Advances in technology have made online gambling from your smartphone or tablet just as exciting and immersive an experience as the desktop version. The flexibility of mobile play appeals to the new generation of online bettors who like to be able to place live in-play bets on the sports or to try a few spins of the pokies while on the move.

Will gambling winnings be taxable?

Gambling winnings in Australia are not taxable, as they are treated as a ‘windfall’ rather than earnings. For that reason you will be able to keep 100% of the profit from any of your online gaming winnings, without having to share the wealth with the government.

Will my details be secure online?

Customer safety and security is paramount in the online gambling industry, as betting sites succeed or fail on their reputation. All of the sites listed on these pages use the latest encryption software to protect client details, and fair play is ensured by independent monitoring bodies such as eCOGRA who test games and payouts for fairness.