Australian and Commonwealth online gaming regulations focus primarily on casino operators rather than players, offering protection for consumers who choose licensed platforms. It was legalised by the Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, and Queensland does not have specific laws for or against online gambling. Bruce Mathieson, who operates the Australian Liquor and Hospitality group with Woolworths, holds about a 10% share in Star and has expressed interest in potentially acquiring the Gold Coast casino should opportunities arise. The introduction of the power for particular regulators to issue penalty infringement notices for certain gambling-related offences as an alternative to commencing court action has been a recent development in this jurisdiction. State and territory licensees are expected to have appropriate controls in place to ensure that they comply with their licence obligations, including relevant laws and any conditions attaching to their licence. Have fines, licence revocations or other sanctions been enforced in your jurisdiction? Legislation prohibits bets being taken by a Corporate Bookmaker on the outcome of a lottery (that is, ‘synthetic lotteries’). Casino licensees cannot offer online casino games in Australia (it is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act, which also prohibits online poker). The regulator responsible for enforcing the Interactive Gambling Act, the ACMA, has consumer protection responsibilities and powers relating to the enforcement of prohibitions on providing or advertising illegal interactive gambling services. The Interactive Gambling Act provides that it is unlawful for overseas-based operators not holding a relevant state or territory licence to advertise or provide online gambling services to Australian residents. Advocates of cashless gaming consider that it will assist in identifying and preventing improper use of poker machines and mitigate gambling harm when coupled with the use of mandatory pre-commitment limits. ICLG's in-house editorial team carefully reviews and edits each chapter, updated annually, and audits each one for originality, relevance and style, including anti-plagiarism and AI-detection tools. The authors also anticipate reforms in the area of ‘trade promotion lotteries’ which are a form of free-entry permissible lottery conducted for the purpose of promoting a business or trade. Among other recommendations, a phased ban on online gambling advertising within three years and a ban on inducements to gamble have been proposed. Recently, the ACMA has also taken the step of warning social media influencers about the risks and potential penalties involved with them promoting illegal gambling websites and apps. Further, the ACMA has also been very active in engaging with overseas regulators and other parties concerning the illegal offering of online gambling products in Australia. It is worth noting also that significant fines in the hundreds of millions have been levied against the Vic, NSW and Qld casino licensees to date and other fines are possible as regulatory processes continue. Separately, SkyCity Group (SA) was ordered by the Federal Court to pay a $67 million penalty in June 2024, after AUSTRAC launched civil penalty proceedings against it for breaches of the AML/CTF legislation. This has included action taken by AUSTRAC in relation to casino licensees in Vic, NSW, Qld, WA and also SA examining money laundering issues (including those concerning ‘junket operators’). The ACMA has also been particularly active in relation to enforcement action in connection with spam legislation where infringements by a number of wagering operators have been identified. In the case of breaches of the AML/CTF Act by gambling service providers, AUSTRAC continues to show that it will prosecute civil penalty offences. Retail Wagering Operators, Corporate Bookmakers and On-course Bookmakers are also required to pay race field fees/product fees to racing controlling bodies and sports controlling bodies, respectively, in relation to bets taken on their product. In the NT, Corporate Bookmakers (and betting exchange operators) are required to pay a sports bookmaking tax on all net revenue and also a Racing and Wagering Levy which, among things, is applied to gambling harm reduction measures. This is a departure from the previous ‘point of supply’ regime, under which states and territories derived no betting tax revenue from Corporate Bookmakers and other licensed betting operators taking bets online in the relevant jurisdiction. In addition, that licensee currently pays the state a tax of 21.25% of its gross gaming revenue from table games and 31.57% of its gross gaming revenue from gaming machines in respect of regular players, together with a 1% community benefit levy. The state and/or territory taxes that apply to gambling products depend upon the relevant licence under which the product is being offered, the type of product and also the jurisdiction in which the product is offered. In addition to the compulsory responsible gambling messages and warnings, it is an offence to advertise an inducement to open a betting account or to refer another person to open a betting account and, in some jurisdictions, to gamble or to gamble more frequently. Players must be 18 or over to legally participate in any casino gaming in Queensland, whether at land-based venues or online platforms. Queensland does not have specific laws prohibiting players from accessing these services, though the law prohibits Australian-based companies from offering such services without proper licensing. Yes, under the Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, Queensland residents can legally access online casinos operated by licensed overseas providers. With over 80 gaming tables and 1,300 gaming machines, Treasury Brisbane caters to every gaming preference imaginable. The law prohibits unlicensed gaming sites from operating in Australia but doesn’t restrict players from accessing overseas-based gaming sites that hold proper international licensing. While land-based casinos operate under strict Queensland state regulations, online gambling exists within a different legal framework established by Commonwealth legislation. Nestled along the picturesque Brisbane River, this heritage-listed establishment provides round-the-clock gaming excitement with over 80 gaming tables and 1,300 gaming machines. Across Australia, the age at which you can start to legally gamble on any form of real money betting, including lotteries, bingo halls, sport and race betting, and casino betting, is 18.