Best casino sites in Australia

Population: 25,7million
Active Players: 12 million
Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
Regulated Gambling Products: Casino, sports betting, horse racing, lotteries
Operator Types: Land-based and online casinos, offshore online casinos
Designated Authority: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Status: Grey market – partly regulated

Australia is definitely a fascinating country. No matter if we’re talking about the spectacular wildlife, its landscapes or the important landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and natural heritage sites, there are plenty of places that make this nation stand out in the world.  Among the things that make Australia so unique, is its citizens’ insatiable appetite for gambling. The country is the world’s leader when it comes to gambling with a total gross gaming revenue of over $24 billion every year. Around 50% of Australians gamble at least once a month, which makes the land down under a very appealing market one for online casinos all around the globe. 

Up until 2017, Australia was the main market for some of the biggest international online casinos. However, the growing concern over gambling participation led to the issuing of the Interactive Gambling Act Amendment. This piece of legislation modifies the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which already deemed online casinos illegal and came with a series of even harsher regulations and ways to apply them. Despite the change of legislation in 2017, for players looking for a good online casino, Australia isn’t such a bad place after all. The authorities have a hard time enforcing the IGA, and there are still plenty of casinos accepting players from Australia. 

Did You Know That?

• The legal gambling age in Australia is 18
• Around 50% of Australian citizens gamble on a monthly basis
• The current legislation allows DNS blocks on unlicensed casinos
• There are no actions taken against players choosing the services of international online casinos
• Online casinos were prohibited ever since the IGA of 2001 but the rule was never enforced until 2017

Casino Sites in Australia

Even with the new legislation changes in place, the online gambling landscape in Australia is far from being regulated. There are no 100% legal casino sites since the initial Interactive Gambling Act banned the practice. So, any player in the country looking for an Australian online casino with real money needs to turn their attention towards the international operators.

Legal Casino Sites in Australia

As previously mentioned, there are no legal casino sites in Australia. Apart from the land-based casinos scattered all across the country, no online operator is allowed to function and offer its services to Australian players. Your best choice is to visit any venue that host pokies, although the payouts as we all know are far worse compared to internet casinos.

International Casino Sites in Australia

Luckily for players looking for the best online casino, Australia has not become a country with no casino activity at all. Some offshore casinos continue to accept Aussie players, despite the ever-increasing means the authorities take to prevent this. Even though the list of casino domains blocked by the ACMA through internet service providers has reached a total of 52 entries, there are still plenty of options. Also, the measures to stop online gambling are strictly focused on operators, and there’s no risk for players.

Welcome Bonuses and Deposit Limits

Since any online casino still accepting players from Australia takes a risk while doing so, the operators often go to extreme lengths to make themselves appealing to players. This has a very positive effect on the welcome bonuses offered. Therefore, you can find online casinos such as FairGo that offer up to AUD 1,000 as part of the welcome offer. Top match bonuses on the first deposit can go as high as 300% so you can count on a gratifying experience. 

To claim the first deposit bonus, as well as other rewards, most casinos require players to make a deposit of at least AUD 20. Before claiming a deposit bonus, make sure to check the wagering requirements as well. The standard wagering requirements among top online casinos Australia is 30 times the bonus amount.

Casinos with Australian Dollar (AUD)

Since Australia is still a very important market for the online gambling market, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a casino that gives you the possibility to play with AUD. Pretty much every Australia online casino should include the local currency so that you can only focus on playing your favorite games, not on currency exchange fees.

How to Deposit and Withdraw on Australian Casino Sites?

After you found the best casino in Australia, it’s time to make a deposit and start enjoying the pokies and table games. However, this may not be as straightforward as it sounds since the authorities placed some restrictions on payment options as well.

Bank Transfer

Every casino Australia should offer POLi as this is the go-to payment method for Aussie players that want to deposit straight from the bank account. However, the payment processors offering support for POLi deposits towards online casinos are getting fewer by the day.

eWallet Options

When it comes to ewallets available locally for Australians, there’s not much to talk about since there’s no locally-developed one. Besides the popular Neteller and Skrill, Aussie casino enthusiasts developed a strong liking for French ewallet and voucher payment option, Neosurf. 

Mobile Payments

Aussie players looking to enjoy a mobile casino Australia can use Boku. Even though the mobile payment method was developed in the United States, it was quickly embraced by mobile casino aficionados in Australia as well. 

Cryptocurrency

Since most of the casinos targeting the Australian market right now are licensed by the Curacao Government, the link with cryptocurrency is almost inevitable. Especially with the increasing bans placed on standard deposit options, online casino Australia legal real money players opt for Bitcoin or Ethereum for hassle-free payments. 

How to Create and Verify Your Account on Australian Casino Sites

The next step after you go through the list of casino sites in Australia and choose your favorite is creating an account to start the fun. We’ve put together the generic steps to register an account with the best casino sites Australia has to offer.

• Go to the casino website or mobile app
• Click on the “Join” or “Sign Up” button (some casinos will simply call it “Play Now”)
• You’ll get a pop-up window asking for some personal details as the first step of the registration procedure. Insert your name, email address, phone number, date of birth and make sure to complete all the mandatory fields marked with a *
• Validate your phone number by inserting the code you received via SMS
• This is the time to insert a Promo Code if you have one 
• Set a password for our account
• Start enjoying your favorite casino games

If you’re playing at the highest payout online casino Australia delivers to its citizens, it’s a good idea also to verify your account after registration. Most casinos won’t ask for this until the moment you request a withdrawal. However, getting this out of the way makes the withdrawal process faster and also increases your account’s security. To complete the KYC procedure you just need to send photos or scans of a photo ID, proof of payment, and proof of address. Once the casino staff validates them, you will be notified that the account is verified or you need to send extra documents.

What Can We Expect from Australian Gambling Law Changes?

It’s really tough to say what will happen next in the convoluted Australian online gambling landscape. However, with the huge amounts of money Aussie players spend at offshore casinos every year, the authorities seem determined to fight harder than ever before. The most likely scenario is that they will continue pushing with domain blocks and restrictions on payment methods until they feel illegal gambling is down to an acceptable level. Only then, steps towards regulating the online casino landscape can start.