While sports betting in Australia has been around for quite some time, there has been pushed back on Australian bookmakers and betting sites, causing some issues for Australian bettors. Much like the United States, the Australian sports betting scene includes state-managed sports betting laws, and mobile gaming took a huge hit in 2017 when the Interactive Gaming Amendment was enacted.
It all began when online Australian sportsbooks were reeling in over $800 million in revenue in 2015, this caught the attention of the lawmakers, and when the numbers increased in 2016, the parliament passed a ban on gambling apps. Specifically, sportsbooks can no longer offer in-play sports betting.
While many aspects of sports betting are still legal in Australia, there are definitely some setbacks with the 2016 ban being put in place. It could be worse, sports betting could be banned in Australia, or it could be way worse in terms of limitations - giving up in-play betting isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Currently, states are allowed to operate land-based and online sports betting to their residents. Most states are pretty lax when it comes to sports betting - there aren’t strict states who forbid it as you’d see in the United States.
The Coalition government is very pro-betting, and the Labour party is against, but tolerant of online sports betting - they focus on land-based operations and making that more challenging for brick and mortar casinos and sportsbooks.
Sports Betting in Australia
When it comes to betting in Australia, there are options, and while it’s not going to be as freely accepted like it is in the United Kingdom, you will still be able to punt like the best of them - just not when it comes to live betting.
There are also some limitations when it comes to offshore sportsbooks, however, as some offshore sportsbooks have been banned, to help guide sports bettors to Australian-run operations. Many of the top sportsbooks still are functional in Australia, like GT Bets or MyBookie for example, but some are hidden from Australian residents.
What Australian sportsbooks do very well is offer plenty of bonuses and promotions to Aussie punters. It is common in Australia to bet on football/soccer, horses, tennis, and cricket, as well as Aussie Rules football of course. Lower limits allow punters from all walks of life to join in on the action, and many sportsbooks offer a variety of currency options, even though AUD is the national currency.
Thankfully in Australia, there are few limitations aside from the live betting ban, as it is so widely accepted and there are so many places to place your wagers. However, when there are so many options both online and offline, you might be concerned about which sportsbook to choose. Ensuring you use a sportsbook with all of the criteria and features you care about is important before hitting the sign-up button on a sportsbook or strolling into a land-based shop.
Many of these criteria apply to online sportsbooks, but you should also be wary of the options you can face at land-based shops as well.
Deposit Options
In other parts of the world like the United States or Canada for example, only certain deposit options like Bitcoin or prepaid credit cards are available to them. Many of the Australian sports betting sites have plenty of deposit options - it just depends on which one you’re looking to use when depositing at a sportsbook. When it comes to Australian sports betting, you have several options that are popular to use when filling your sportsbook wallet.
Mastercard and Visa are probably the two most popular options, followed by debit options like Visa Debit, Electron, Maestro. Then we have AMEX, and Diners Club, Discover Card, Japanese Credit Bureau, PayPal, BPAY, Poli, Skrill, and even more archaic options like money orders, bank transfers and checks!
Payout Options
After you’ve won your wagers and you decide it’s time to cash out all of your winnings, you will need to request a withdrawal from your sportsbook. Australian sportsbooks don’t have a ton of options when it comes to withdrawals, but it’s possible to find one that suits your needs.
Visa credit card, Debit cards like Visa Debit and Maestro, and Skrill all offer free withdrawals, while bank transfers and checks cost a small fee.
Mobile Compatibility
While Australian mobile betting apps took a bit of a hit with the Interactive Gaming Amendment, it’s not as damning as you’d think. While they banned live betting on sports, you can still do just about everything else on your smartphone or tablet, while on the go if you need it.
Mobile compatibility is important to Australian sports betting, as many North American sports happen on the other side of the world, you may not be sitting at home when the games are occurring. Australians love to bet on sports around the world and it’s important to be able to do so, from wherever you may be.
Safety and Security
Since most sports betting done in Australia is regulated by the states themselves, it is totally safe to bet on sports in Australia. They have some of the most well-developed regulations in the world, and bookmakers must follow said rules. They’ve also been known to ban some sportsbooks for breaking their rules, so if sportsbooks want to be able to operate in the country, they will have to play nice.
Australia is quite progressive, most lawmakers meet regularly about gambling topics and laws are ever-changing in Australia, so you know that you will never run into a loophole type of situation.
Bonuses and Promotions
Australia offers an exceptional amount of bonuses and promotions. They are constantly dealing out perks and promotions for sports bettors to keep them interested. The deposit bonuses are quite large, and they have some of the lowest wagering requirements possible.
Most times you can double your bankroll just by placing a deposit, or earn a sweet Aussie rules bonus when the season is about to begin.
Odds and Betting Options
Keep in mind that all sportsbooks have different odds and options available, and the best sportsbooks offer a huge variety of sports betting odds. Ensuring that the sportsbook has the odds you want to bet on is important so you don’t waste time signing up at a sportsbook who doesn’t offer the odds you need.
All sportsbooks offer a huge selection of sports, with football/soccer and cricket being the two that are regularly bet on. If you want to bet on something a little less popular, it’s wise to check the sports offering before you sign up to a sportsbook. Though many Australian sports betting sites and shops have a huge selection.
Popular Sports to bet on in Australia
As mentioned soccer or football, is the most bet on sport in Australia, closely followed by cricket and tennis. Betting on horse racing is slowly decreasing around the world but it seems to still be fairly popular in Australia. Aussie Rules football is also a popular sport betting option.
Top Online Sportsbooks for Betting on Sports in Australia
Now that we’ve addressed some important criteria when choosing a sportsbook in Australia, we can outline the top online sportsbooks available to Australian punters. We’ve used and reviewed many sportsbooks in-depth, and ensure a seamless sports betting experience. All you need to do is read a few sportsbook reviews and decide which is best for you utilizing the criteria we outlined above.
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