How to spot an illegal gambling site
Offshore gambling sites increasingly look local: Australian slang, prices in AUD, familiar payment methods. Here is how to tell whether a site is actually allowed to operate in Australia.
The quickest test
If a website lets people in Australia play online pokies, online roulette, online blackjack or other casino games for real money, it is operating illegally. No Australian licence permits those games online. It doesn't matter what licence the site claims to hold elsewhere, how professional it looks or how many local reviews it has.
Warning signs
- An overseas licence instead of an Australian one. Licences from overseas jurisdictions do not authorise a business to offer gambling to Australians.
- Casino games offered alongside sports betting. Licensed Australian bookmakers cannot offer online casino games, so a "sportsbook" with a pokies lobby is a red flag.
- Large deposit bonuses and free spins. Licensed Australian wagering providers are restricted in the inducements they can offer. Big welcome packages are typical of offshore sites, and they usually come with wagering conditions that make withdrawal difficult.
- Frequent new domain names or "mirror" sites. Operators whose sites are blocked often move to new addresses and send players links to the latest one.
- No BetStop information and no Australian safer gambling tools. Licensed providers are required to support self-exclusion and deposit limits.
- Unusual payment methods or strict withdrawal rules. Crypto-only deposits, high minimum withdrawals and verification that only starts once you try to cash out are common complaints.
- Logos of several regulators at once. Displaying badges of well-known regulators proves nothing. A genuine licence can be checked on the regulator's own website.
How to check a betting provider
- Find the company's legal name and licence details on its website.
- Look up that licence on the website of the Australian state or territory regulator that issued it. Many licensed online bookmakers hold a licence from the Northern Territory.
- Check the ACMA's website for its register of licensed wagering providers and its information about blocked illegal sites.
- If the site offers casino games or pokies to Australians, stop there: it cannot be legal.
What can go wrong
People who use offshore sites often report being unable to withdraw winnings, having accounts closed after a win, finding bonus terms changed, or having no one to complain to. Australian dispute channels and responsible gambling protections don't cover these operators, and self-exclusion through BetStop doesn't stop you from using them.
Offshore sites may also hold identity documents and payment details under unclear privacy practices.
If you've already been affected
- Stop depositing, even to "unlock" a withdrawal. Requests for more money before you can cash out are a common pattern.
- Contact your bank about blocking gambling transactions. Many Australian banks offer gambling blocks in their apps.
- Report the site to the ACMA.
- If the money has become a problem, free financial counselling is available through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
- If the gambling itself is a problem, see getting help.