Illegal Gambling Activities in Australia
The IGA makes it a legal offence to provide gambling services such as online wagering to people currently residing or located in Australia. In addition to this, the act deems it illegal if unlicensed services provide betting of any sort, including online casino betting, sports wagering, and lotteries.
The penalties that result from breaking these rules are targeted toward the providers of such services, not the players. However, choosing unchecked and non-approved website can result in many problems for you. You may be a victim of fraudulent activities unless you pick an approved website.
It is illegal for Australian gambling operators to offer or promote the following services to people in the country:
- Slot machines or pokies
- Casino games like Blackjack, Poker, or Roulette
- Scratch cards
- Sports betting or in-play betting
- Lotteries
Any game provided over the internet is prohibited under the IGA when it’s provided to people physically in Australia (not just the ones residing there).
Defining Illegal Online Gambling
According to the IGA, it is a legal offence to do one of the three following things:
- Provide Australian-based interactive gambling services to customers in the designated countries
- Provide unlicensed interactive gambling services to Australians or people located in AU
- Provide prohibited interactive gambling services to people in Australia
In other words, Australian casinos and other betting websites are only legal if licensed and if they accept players from different countries, not the one they are licensed in. The ISPs or Internet Service Providers follow the Interactive Gambling Industry Code to deal with online gambling that’s hosted outside of the Australian borders.
Tips for Learning if the Casino Is Legal in Australia
To ensure smooth, safe, and legal betting and wagering, you need to make sure that you’re using a legit casino site. You won’t be paying penalties for a wrong choice, but such sites run a high risk of you losing your money or become a victim of fraud.
Before you start gambling, check if the site you’re using is legal on ACMA – The Australian Communications and Media Authority registered licensed by the Government.
Tips for Protecting Yourself from Illegal Gambling in AU
ACMA not only gives players a chance to find legit and licensed sites, but it also blacklists the ones that have been reported and offer illegal content. Even so, there’s no guarantee that the site you’re using is safe, so it’s still up to you do to some research. To protect yourself, look for sites that are licensed, well-rated among players, and use safe banking methods to protect your personal information.
Making Complaints against Illegal Casino Sites
Since ACMA regulates this industry and determines which casino sites are illegal, you can make a complaint or report a website over the Internet in their Complaint form. If for any reason you believe that the gambling activity being advertised or offered online is illegal, use the form to send in a complaint.
What Does ACMA Serve for?
ACMA is created by the Australian government to help gamblers detect and avoid fraudulent gambling platforms, as well as to keep track of the sites that advertise and offer gambling activities on the Internet. This site provides all the necessary information regarding the Interactive Gambling Act, shares a list of approved and legal websites, as well as blacklists casinos that offer illegal services.
On the website, gamblers can see the latest law changes in the IGA, as well as learn how to detect fraudulent websites. Following the reforms in the IGA, ACMA publishes an updated registered of Australian licensed interactive wagering providers.
Since this site appeared on the market, over 100 gambling services have fully withdrawn from the Australian betting market, making it safer for players to gamble on the Web. Anyone who believes that a site breaks a rule in this act is allowed – as well as encouraged – to make a complaint.
The Government has also introduced a National Consumer Protection Framework that can be accessed from the ACMA site. This contains 10 measures to assist problem gamblers and teach them to set their limits or prevent access to betting services altogether.
When you’re looking at sites to gamble on, you can check this website to see which are compliant with the latest rules and laws. If the website in question is blacklisted, this means that they’ve been ‘caught’ doing something illegal. For example, gambling providers are not allowed to advertise banned services, offer credit for online sports betting, or promote such credit.