About this site

Responsible Gambling in Australia: Help and Tools

Responsible gambling in Australia: Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858, BetStop, free financial counselling, who regulates gambling and limits that work.

Responsible gambling in Australia starts with knowing where help is. If gambling is starting to hurt your wallet or your mood, the fastest step is a free call: Gambling Help Online, 1800 858 858, open 24/7, with online chat and email support too. It is confidential and you do not need to give your name.

Know the rules before you play

Australia treats online casino games differently from sports betting. Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, offering real-money online casino games and pokies to people in Australia is an offence for the operator, not the player. Licensed Australian bookmakers can take sports and racing bets, but they cannot run online casinos. That is why every casino-style site that accepts Aussies is based offshore, and why the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) orders internet providers to block them.

What that means for you:

No Australian regulator supervises an offshore casino or will take your complaint if it refuses to pay.
BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, applies to licensed online and phone wagering providers. Offshore casinos are not part of it.
Credit cards have been banned for licensed online wagering since 11 June 2024. Offshore sites are not covered by that rule, which makes it easier to gamble on borrowed money there. Do not.

Our rating method explains how we check brands against the ACMA blocked list before they can appear on an /au/ page.

Who Regulates Gambling in Australia?

Responsibility is split between Canberra and the states. Online gambling is federal: the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 sits with the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells as of October 2026, and is enforced by ACMA, which blocks illegal offshore sites. BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, is an Australian Government service for licensed online and phone wagering. The Department of Social Services funds gambling research and support services. The federal Gambling Reform Bill passed on 19 August 2026, with most of its measures starting on 1 January 2027.

Pokies in pubs and clubs, land-based casinos and lotteries are regulated by each state and territory, which has its own minister and regulator, such as Liquor & Gaming NSW and the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. If a venue or a licensed bookmaker treats you unfairly, that state regulator is where a complaint goes. For an offshore casino there is no Australian regulator to complain to, which is why our safe casinos guide sets out the checks to run before you deposit.

BetStop in brief

Question	Answer
What does it cover?	Licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers
How long?	3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years or permanently
Can I cancel early?	No, a fixed period runs its full length, and a permanent exclusion cannot be reversed
Where?	betstop.gov.au

Blocking the sites BetStop cannot reach

Install blocking software such as Gamban or the free BetBlocker on your phone and computer.
Ask your bank to block gambling transactions; most major Australian banks offer this in their app.
Use the self-exclusion option inside any casino account you already have, and close the account.
Remove saved cards and crypto wallets from gambling sites.

Gambling Harm in Australia: The Numbers

Australians lost $31.5 billion on gambling in 2022–23, the highest total in two decades, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. That is around $1,527 per person, up from $1,461 in real terms a year earlier, based on the Queensland Government Statistician's Office figures the AIHW uses. Online gambling is the fastest growing part: the Department of Social Services notes that ACMA found 11% of Australians had gambled online in the previous six months in 2022, up from 8% in 2020.

Losses are not the same thing as harm, but they show how much money is at stake. Harm also reaches partners, children and friends, and money problems often arrive before anyone talks about the gambling itself. If the bills are already piling up, the free services below can help with both.

Warning signs worth taking seriously

Playing the pokies to win back what you lost yesterday
Using rent, bill or credit money to gamble
Lying about how much time or money goes on it
Feeling flat or anxious when you are not playing

Any one of these is reason enough to call 1800 858 858. Gambling Help Online also helps partners, parents and mates who are worried about someone.

Free Help Services

Service	What it does	How to reach it
National Gambling Helpline and Gambling Help Online	Free, confidential counselling by phone, chat and email, also for family and friends	1800 858 858, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
National Debt Helpline	Free, confidential financial counselling from not-for-profit counsellors	1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am to 4:30pm; live chat weekdays 9am to 8pm
BetStop	Self-exclusion from all licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers	betstop.gov.au
Lifeline	Crisis support if you are not coping	13 11 14
Your bank	Gambling transaction blocks	In most major banks' apps; our payment methods guide covers card and wallet blocks

Keep it in check if you do play

Set a deposit limit in your account before the first deposit.
Decide on a stop time and stick to it.
Never treat a bonus as free money: read the wagering first, as our no deposit bonus guide explains.
You must be 18 or older.

Back to the Australian section, or read our international responsible gaming page.

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal for me to play at an offshore online casino in Australia?

The Interactive Gambling Act makes it an offence for operators to offer online casino games to people in Australia. It targets the operator, not the player, but you also get no Australian protection if something goes wrong.

Does BetStop block offshore casinos?

No. BetStop covers licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers. To block offshore casino sites, use software such as Gamban or BetBlocker and ask your bank to block gambling payments.

What number do I call for gambling help in Australia?

Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can I use a credit card to gamble online in Australia?

Not with licensed online wagering providers: credit cards have been banned there since 11 June 2024.

Does Australia have the biggest gambling problem in the world?

Australia is often described that way because of how much its people lose: $31.5 billion in 2022–23, around $1,527 per person, according to the AIHW. Losses are not the same as problem gambling, and there is no single official ranking of gambling harm between countries, but the losses are high by any measure. If gambling is hurting you, call 1800 858 858.

Who is the minister responsible for gambling?

Federally, online gambling and the Interactive Gambling Act sit with the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells as of October 2026. Pokies, casinos and lotteries are regulated by each state and territory, and each has its own minister responsible for gaming and its own regulator.