Betting sites in Australia were once a one-stop value shop, offering great bonuses, live betting online, and sensational service. However, things became far more difficult in 2016 when the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill was passed.
Many Australians now look at offshore betting sites for the best value and products. This page will detail the reasons why and highlight some of the best places to play.
Is Online Betting In Australia Legal?
Australia was one of the first countries to legalise online betting. The Interactive Gambling Act (2001) was passed by the Australian Parliament on 28 June 2001. This Act legalised sports betting in Australia, but there have been changes to laws in the years since.
The main change was the banning of betting in-play on live events online, or in-play as it’s known at overseas sportsbooks. You can still bet in Australia live over the phone, but this is time-consuming and complicated. The rules aren’t the same if you set up a VPN and bet at a licensed sportsbook in an offshore jurisdiction.
➡️ Did you know? Betting was permitted at the first official horse racing event in Australia that took place in 1810 at Hyde Park, Sydney. Betting on horse racing has always been legal and popular, however, sports betting wasn’t legalised more broadly until 1983.
Top Bonuses at Online Betting Sites
In May 2019, the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering (NCPF) decided to ban all betting sites in Australia from offering welcome bonuses. Known locally as the bonus bet ban, local sites became extremely restricted in what they could offer customers in the form of bonuses.
These restrictions don’t apply to offshore betting sites and they can offer the types of bonuses we could get locally until 2019.
Welcome Bonus
International sportsbooks have a significant advantage over our local betting agencies. They can offer us massive deposit bonuses to join their site. These are worth more than $1000 at many sites and often don’t have harsh turnover requirements.
💡 Our Tip: Look for turnover requirements of 10x and under to make the most of a welcome bonus.
Reload Bonus
These bonuses are another big advantage to betting offshore, where they are often called a re-up bonus. Many sites will offer bonuses on your first 2-5 deposits, which gives you multiple chances to take advantage of the value on offer.
💡 Our Tip: As with a welcome bonus, check the turnover requirements for any reload bonus before withdrawing.
Rebates
Rebates have gone the way of the Dodo bird in Australia due to the POCT (point of consumption tax) changes on sports betting. This is not the case overseas, though, where many operators offer a weekly rebate on net sports betting losses.
💡 Our Tip: Many offshore operators are more generous with their rebate offers on horse racing. Look out for them.
Multi Bonus Back
The multi bonus back is known in offshore circles as parlay insurance.
This promotion means that if you miss one leg of your multi, you will receive a bonus bet so you can try again. The rules change depending on which site you bet at, with some offering on 3, 4, or 5 legs and varying minimum odds requirements.
💡 Our Tip: Be sure to investigate the rules around how many legs your multi needs to include to qualify for a bonus back offer.
Free Bets
Overseas betting sites run fewer free bet offers than their local counterparts, but plenty offer them on a first losing bet in-play.
Free bet offers are where online betting sites in Australia lead the world, as it’s the main area they can reward local players. Plenty of great free bets are on offer, no matter where you play.
💡 Our Tip: Keep an eye out for bonuses back on in-play or horse racing bets. These markets are where you’re most likely to land a freebie.
Loyalty Programs
Sites in Australia will offer bonuses based on turnover. You earn points as you place bets, which are then converted into free bets. These offers are small compared to the loyalty programs offered abroad.
International bookies’ programs are often tiered and allow you to earn points faster as you get to a higher tier.
💡 Our Tip: Find a sportsbook that lets you redeem points for cash and other offers rather than just free bets like local operators.
Most Popular Sports to Bet on in Australia
As any proud Aussie knows, this depends on where you live. Victorians are laughed at in NSW for their love of aerial ping-pong, much like NSW sports fans are laughed at for watching rugby league. The one thing for sure is that most Aussies love a bet, regardless of location.
So, what are the most popular sports to bet on in Australia?
- 🏇 Horse racing – The “Sport of Kings” is massive in Australian culture, and the turnover is enormous. The year’s highlight is the Melbourne Cup, known as the race that stops a nation, and Aussies know why. No other Tuesday in the calendar is quite like it.
- 🏉 AFL – Aussie Rules is Australia’s national sport, despite what Queenslanders and NSW locals would have you believe. The betting turnover is massive, and with the inclusion of a Tassie team, the competition is as close to a national competition as it’s possible to be.
- 🏉 Rugby League – The NRL is Australia’s second-biggest sports competition and dominates the landscape in Queensland and NSW, with only the Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders residing outside of those power states. The Penrith Panthers are undisputed modern-day greats and one of the best teams ever.
- 🏏 Cricket – Another hugely popular sport in Australia. Cricket has grown in popularity again with the emergence of T20 cricket. The local Big Bash competition is an extremely popular betting option, as well as big competitions like the IPL, World Cup, and Ashes.
- 🏈 NFL – The Super Bowl is the second-biggest sporting event for gambling turnover in the world (behind the soccer World Cup). American football has continued to grow as a sport in Australia, with the NFL commissioner recently announcing plans to hold a game in Melbourne annually in the near future.
- ⚽️ Soccer – Soccer is known as The World Game, and it ranks highly for sports betting turnover in Australia, as expected. The English Premier League and the Champions League are the most bet-on soccer leagues at Australian betting sites, with the A-League also popular.
- 🏀 Basketball – The NBA rules the roost when it comes to basketball betting, with huge turnover and betting options. The local NBL league also holds plenty of bets, as do leagues worldwide. Aussies love player prop bets, with legends like Lebron and Kevin Durant being bet on frequently.
Wagers and Bet Types at Australian Betting Sites
The bet types at offshore sites compared to our local sites are very similar. However, there are often more prop markets and unique futures available at overseas operators, and some, like esports betting sites, are dedicated to more niche sports. So, what are the different bet types available?
Win Markets
- Known internationally as the moneyline and the easiest bet to place by far. If we bet $100 on the Magpies to win at odds of $1.91, and they won, we would get $191 back for a profit of $91.
Line Markets
- Offshore sportsbooks call this spread betting, and it’s the most popular bet type in the world.
- The favourite of a given game gives a head start to the underdog team. For instance, if Manly were -5.5 point favourites against Parramatta and we backed Manly, we would need them to win by 6 points or more for the bet to win.
Totals (Over/Under)
- This is the same idea as betting on the line, but with the game’s total score as the focus.
- For example, if Richmond and Hawthorn played each other in the AFL, and the total was 184.5, we could bet the over or under. If we took the over, we would need the two teams’ combined score to be more than 184.
Props
- Player prop bets are huge amongst Australian punters on the AFL and NRL.
- They allow you to bet on things like: How many possessions will Patty Cripps get? Will Josh Addo-Carr score a try?
- Then, there is the vast variety of team props. Who will lead at quarter time? How many goals will Fremantle kick?
Multis
- Overseas sportsbooks call this bet a parlay.
- It involves betting on multiple results on the one bet ticket, creating better odds for your multi.
- You can take results across many sports. For example, Brisbane Lions to win the AFL premiership, Cronulla Sharks to win the NRL premiership and the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA championship.
Same-Game Multi
- This is known as a same-game parlay overseas and is extremely popular. It works the same as a multi, but the selections are all on the one event.
Futures
- These are long-term bets on who will win events like the AFL or NRL premierships, the Melbourne Cup, or the Brownlow Medal.
- These events are covered at international books, with plenty of Aussie betting markets available.
Live Betting
- This one is a bit tricky. Since the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill in 2016, live online betting in Australia has been banned at local sportsbooks operating under an Australian licence. To place a live bet at Aus betting sites, you need to pick up the phone and start dialing old-school style.
- Overseas operators are able to take live bets, so setting up an account with one of them will allow you to bet in-play easily.
Live Betting Apps Australia
Licensed Australian bookies are only able to take live bets over the phone. A time-consuming task at a time when speed is key.
Live betting apps operated overseas have no such rules. Using a VPN to bet offshore means you can bet live on the biggest Australian sporting events in just a couple of taps.
Banking Options at Top Aussie Bookmakers
- 🔒 PayID – Some betting sites accept our instant PayID (Osko) transfers. Funds are taken directly from your linked PayID bank account to fund your betting account.
- 💳 Cards – This is also instant and very simple. It is crucial, though, to watch out for any potential fees.
- ₿ Cryptocurrency – Crypto is the boss of banking methods at offshore sportsbooks. The reasons are obvious: security, privacy, small deposit minimums, high withdrawal limits and the fastest withdrawals.
- 🏦 Bank/Wire transfers – This method is slow for depositing and withdrawing. There are also fees on your transactions.
- 👛 E-Wallets – Some punters like to use e-wallets like PayPal as a way to fund their accounts. Deposit/withdrawal times and fees will vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, check carefully.
How to Bet in Australia: Expert Tips
- Safety and privacy – When betting offshore, make sure to only invest your cash at reputable sportsbooks in quality jurisdictions. Investigate where the sportsbook is licenced and how long they have been operating. If betting at new betting sites, the license is even more critical.
- Bonus hunt – It’s hard enough to back a winner, so finding the best bonuses and taking advantage is a great way to boost your bankroll. Check all the different online betting sites and locate the best bang for your buck.
- Find the best odds – Betting sites offer different prices on different events, be sure to search for the best market on the team you like. For example, backing Geelong at -17.5 when -16.5 is available elsewhere might not seem like a big difference. It can be huge having that extra point. You wouldn’t buy a new car without checking prices and getting the best deal. Do the same when having a bet.
- Manage your bankroll – Managing your bankroll is important. There is no point losing on the Saturday AFL and NRL and then going five from five on Sunday with no money left after Saturday’s shenanigans. We recommend using a staking system such as the Kelly Criterion. If it’s good enough for Warren Buffett, it’s good enough for me.
- Injuries – It doesn’t matter which sport it is. AFL, NRL, NBA, cricket, soccer, and everything in between, injuries play a role, and be sure to keep up to date with the current reports.
- Head-to-head form – This one is simple. Some teams match up well against others and not as well with other teams. Look for a team with a recent head-to-head advantage and try to find some value.
- Weather – Weather can impact sports in so many ways. Rain can have a significant influence on the totals in the AFL. Wind has an influence on totals in the NFL. Then there are the differences in cricket results when sessions are lost to rain, or the Duckworth Lewis system comes into play. Always be sure to know the predicted weather before having a bet.
Trends and Stats on Betting in Australia
Aussies love a bet. It’s a part of our culture and for many Australians, it’s a big part of life. But just how big are the numbers and are they growing?
There was a significant decline in Australian gambling numbers just before the COVID pandemic, with turnover dropping from $232m in 2018 to $174m in 2019. Every year since, the figure has grown rapidly, with $244m wagered in 2022/23. We also had the third-highest online gambling participation rate in the world, with 21.2% penetration in 2024.
As a sports-loving nation, these numbers aren’t surprising. With online sports betting and Australian online casinos going from strength to strength, these numbers look set to grow in the future.
Top Features All Betting Sites in Australia Should Have
- Banking/withdrawal options – Simplicity, security, fewer fees, and withdrawal speed. These are all crucial elements of the betting experience. It’s hard enough to win without wasting it on withdrawal fees and then waiting three parts of two decades for the money.
- Mobile functionality – Which is the best betting app in Australia? That is a personal choice, but it’s a good idea to look for sites that are easy to use, so you can place bets quickly. International sites take great pride in their mobile interfaces, so look for one you like.
- Live streaming – Many sites offer live streaming these days to improve your experience. Punters love to watch the sports they bet on, especially if placing a live bet.
- Live betting – Players want to bet live, and want to be able to do it online in quick time, so they can follow or fade trends and try to get the best price.
- Competitions – This is all about value, and competing in free competitions can provide plenty of that. It is a free throw at the stumps and the potential prizes can be massive. Look for these free contests and take advantage of them.
- Early cash-out feature – Having things go pear-shaped in the last leg of a big multi is every punter’s nightmare. At least the early cash-out feature gives you the option to trade out if wanting to do so.
FAQs
The legalities are a bit of a grey area. The current Interactive Gambling Bill is in place to regulate the providers, not the consumers. This is where betting overseas is advantageous, as many jurisdictions allow Australian punters to bet at their site.
Absolutely. Australian sportsbooks are strictly monitored by their state-based gaming authorities. Your personal details and funds are extremely secure, as is your betting experience.
You can bet at every Australian-licenced sportsbook in AUD. When betting offshore, the most common currency used is USD. This won’t matter if you are trading with cryptocurrency, however.
Gambling is treated as a form of entertainment in Australia, not a form of income. So, no, gambling winnings are not taxed.
Crypto is definitely the king of the international betting world. Many sites allow players to use any of more than a dozen different coins for deposits and withdrawals. Transactions are fast and, more importantly, private and secure.
References
- https://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/statistics/theme/society/gambling/australian-gambling-statistics
- https://tribune-intl.com/australia-in-the-worlds-top-ten-most-prolific-gambling-nations-of-2024/