Australian Gambling Laws and Regulations
You may have searched and not found a full length of a particular law that guides the activity of both physical and online casino in Australia. This is because gambling laws in Australia occur at the territorial or state level. These laws are in addition to the already established Commonwealth’s Interactive Gambling Act of 2001.
Laws and rules are necessary due to the ever-increasing popularity of online casinos in Australia and all around the world.
Are Online Casinos Legalized in Australia?
Gambling on an online casino in Australia is not entirely off-limits nor widely accepted in Australia, however, there have been several online casinos offering the service to Aussies.
Online gambling in Australia is often done privately. The gambling laws in Australia are mostly focused on the service providers rather than the players. The main body that handles complaints about online gambling is ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority). Actions are taken as regards the complaints which can be from a warning to a reasonable fine.
Important Australian Gambling Laws and Regulations
Due to the diversity of the laws and regulations in Australia that are mostly based on the states and territory. Here are the laws, codes of conduct, and regulations that guide all gambling activities in any online casino in Australia.
- National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Gambling: All Australian states and territories together launched this Framework for online gambling to help protect consumers better. The framework contains rules for protecting consumers as regards lenders of small credits, reduction of customer verification time, provision of a choice to opt out, and many more.
- ACT – Gambling and Racing Control Regulation 2002: This particular code of practice for online gambling is mandatory for all online gambling providers. This seeks to generally minimize the harms across various gambling providers.
- NT – Code of Practice for Responsible Gambling 2022: The Northern Territory of Australia has this mandatory regulation which was developed in unity with all gambling providers in the Northern Territory, counseling services, the government, and regulators. It focuses on the training and development of providers and ensures all necessary information is provided by the gambling establishment. It also has rules that prevent minors from having access to a gambling sites, and many more.
- NT – Code of Practice for Responsible Online Gambling 2019: With the number of licensed online gambling providers in the Northern Territory of Australia, this Regulation focuses on online casinos licensed with other Acts apart from the Racing and Betting Act of 1983.
- Queensland Responsible Gambling Code of Practice: This is a code from the Queensland Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee known as RGAC together with community stakeholders. It covers the provision for responsible gambling activities by covering rules for how information is provided, the financial transactions involved in a play, and more.
- SA – Gaming Machines Gambling Code of Practice: The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner in South Australia is saddled with the responsibility of regulating the advertising and practicing of gambling in the state all to protect players from scammers.