Online Casinos For Australians

Casinowhizz’s sole aim is to provide our players with the best online casinos where they can play unencumbered without being concerned that their private details will be compromised, to ensure that the casino’s software is not rigged, that pay player winnings and support must be available at all times.

Note, we are not lawyers and we try to provide information that is accurate with regard to the legal landscape in Australia. The information we’ve provided should not be taken as legal advice, it’s solely our own interpretations.

The Australian government rolled out the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill on September 13th which effectively stopped online casinos from targeting Australian players. (https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet/internet-governance/online-gambling).

The law clearly states that only licensed operators can offer games of chance to residents. At the time of writing there were no licensed online casinos in Australia. However, it doesn’t mean that foreign based operators can’t offer their products to Australians. What does the law say? Sports betting is legal, sites like Bet365 is regulated and several RTG and Betsoft powered online casinos still accept players from Australia.

 

Can Australians Gamble At Foreign Based Online Casinos?

If I’m an Australian can I wager at an online casino regulated in another jurisdiction? Yes you can. The IGA does not prohibit Australians from gambling at offshore sites, nor does it prohibit Australian online casinos from providing gambling services to extraterritorial customers. In Australian states, operators offer activities excluded from the IGA; lotteries, online sports betting and keno are subjected to different regulatory models.

Acclaimed software providers like Microgaming, Net Entertainment and Playtech already pulled the plug on the Australia market. Unfortunately Australians can no longer play at online casinos powered by them, they can however play their games for free. The past year has been an exciting year for online gambling regulation across the globe. Mitch Fifield, Australia’s Communications Minister introduced the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill to parliament in 2016. The new bill exposed a few gambling operators that bypassed current legislation by simulating a phone call also known as ”click to call”.

The purpose of the new legislative changes is to protect players from unscrupulous operators licensed abroad. Human Services Minister, Alan Tudge said that many gambling sites can easily be accessed through the Internet. Another headache the Australian government is saddled up with is that 2.7% of its citizens are problem gamblers. Once the new law is fully implemented foreign based casinos will no longer be able to offer games of chance to its citizens.

 

Taking The Scruff By The Neck

Within the foreseeable unlicensed operators will face the full brunt of the law. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will prosecute operators through civil penalties, injunctions and warnings. ACMA rings in a few new changes as well. The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 (IGA) prohibited Australian gambling firms from offering real money casino games and online poker to its residents. Under the new law firms will be able to offer online casinos fully regulated by the Australian government.

 

What Does The Interactive Gambling Bill of 2016 Say?

• All forms of Internet gambling and gambling advertisements will be banned except sports betting.
• Operators based abroad will not be able to offer casino games for real money to Australians unless they’re licensed in the country. Those who disregard Australian law will face civil penalties, their IP addresses will be blocked and will be blacklisted.
• Presently the Australian government has no plans for awarding operators with a license, at this stage they are more focused on banning them. While a sport event is live punters are not allowed to place bets, this is known as the ‘siren-to-siren’ ban – it’s aim is to stop the addictive nature of live sports betting.

In summary. Although Australia’s current gambling laws makes it illegal for residents to gamble online it’s absolutely legal. Many online casinos licensed in other jurisdictions still accept players from Australia. The Australian government feels because a site is not regulated by them they’re out to dupe the player which is not always the case. There are many reputable Australian online casinos that will be more than happy to have your business.

 

It will be an understatement to say that Australians don’t like to play at online casinos. Research points out that more than 70 percent of the Australian adult population like to gamble, be it in a land-based or online setting. The Global Betting and Gaming Consultants indicates that Australians spent around $800 per year on gaming. (https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/02/daily-chart-4)

Not only is it good news for online casinos but for players too, operators will invest more cash by releasing special promotions and bonuses on the newest pokies. The Australian government collected more than $15 billion in taxes from gambling in 2011 since then this figure has gone up by a significant margin.

We’ve cobbled together a guide of our best online casinos for 2018 that accept Australian players. Here players can play pokies (loads of them), table games, life-changing progressive jackpots, live dealer casinos, video poker, bingo, keno and scratch cards.

First time depositors can deposit and play in Australian dollars and they receive a welcome bonus package with free spins. Regular ones are enrolled into a VIP program that spoils them with free spins bonuses, complimentary points (comps), rebate on their losses (cashback), faster cash out times and so forth. If you want to find out more about the current gambling laws in the country you can visit this page.

The Australian government is still trying to redefine its gambling laws especially when it comes to operators licensed in other jurisdictions. As far as we know the government hasn’t released any laws yet that prevents players from gambling.

 

Key Points

• It is 100% legal for Australians to play at the casinos listed on this page.
• Deposits and withdrawals can be made in Australian Dollars.
• The Betsoft, Rival and RTG (RealTime Gaming) software providers offer a broad range of games underpinned by cutting-edge technology.
• Decent rewards scheme.
• Each operator has a responsible gambling program that takes care of problem gamblers.
• Withdrawals are handled within 5 working days.

 

Do I Pay Tax On Winnings?

The good news is that Australian citizens are not liable to pay tax on the cash they’ve won at an online casino, you pocket 100% of your winnings! This in itself is a very good incentive to encourage players to start playing but when it comes to gambling discretion is still advised. The reason why the Australian government doesn’t tax players on their winnings is because it views gambling as a hobby and not as a profession but a game of luck. Each Australian state has different taxation policies despite this players don’t pay a cent tax on the cash they’ve won.

 

Can I play In Australian Dollars?

Our internet casinos and pokie sites allows Australian players to play in AUD.

 

Deposit and Cash Out To Casinos Is It Legal?

There are many Australian banks that handle withdrawals from online casinos, as a result it’s easy for players to get their cash in and out of a casino. Withdrawals and deposits are made easier by third-party payment processors that include ewallets (Neteller, Skrill), eChecks, prepaid debit cards, bank wire and Bitcoin. The latter payment method has become very popular with Australian players because it offers a degree of anonymity, it’s secure and withdrawals are cleared within minutes.

 

Playing Securely

The Australian government aims to ban international casinos because it feels that they’re not transparent enough and that their games don’t offer players a fair chance at winning. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Our Australian casinos are regularly audited by independent third party companies like TST (Technical Systems Testing) and iTech Labs that ensures the Random Number Generator (RNG) are fair. This ensures that the games remain above board (completely random) and that players have a fair chance at winning. Each casino relies on SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption software that protects player information.

 

Responsible Gaming

If you feel that you have a gambling problem you can seek help at the following sites: http://www.problemgambling.gov.au/ and Gamblers Anonymous http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/. They’ll be more than happy to hear from you and to assist you.