18+ Age Restriction
Gambling services must not be used by minors. Account holders may be required to complete identity and age verification before accessing gambling features or withdrawing funds.
Player Safety, Gambling Harm Prevention & Support
Safer Gambling Information, Player Protection Tools and Gambling Help Resources
This Responsible Gambling Australia guide provides practical information about safer gambling, gambling harm prevention, self-exclusion, deposit limits, time management and professional gambling support services available across Australia.
Gambling should always be treated as a paid form of entertainment, not as a financial strategy, investment opportunity or reliable way to generate income. Every gambling activity carries financial risk, and outcomes are never guaranteed.
Players should understand the risks before participating, set clear financial and time limits, avoid chasing losses and seek professional support whenever gambling begins to affect their finances, relationships, work or emotional wellbeing.
Important Legal Information
Online gambling services available to people in Australia are subject to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and other applicable Commonwealth, state and territory requirements.
Under Australian federal law, certain interactive gambling services are prohibited from being offered or advertised to people located in Australia. These prohibited services can include online casino-style games, online pokies, online slot machines and online in-play sports betting.
Australian-licensed online wagering services must comply with applicable licensing, consumer protection and responsible wagering requirements. Players should verify whether a wagering provider appears on the official register of licensed interactive wagering providers before opening an account or placing a bet.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority, commonly known as ACMA, monitors compliance with the Interactive Gambling Act and may investigate, warn or block websites that provide prohibited or unlicensed gambling services to Australian users.
This page provides general responsible gambling information only. It does not represent a government approval, Australian gambling licence or legal confirmation that a particular gambling service may lawfully operate in every Australian jurisdiction.
Player Protection
Responsible gambling protection should combine secure account practices, age restrictions, identity verification, transparent account information and tools that help players monitor their gambling behaviour.
Gambling services must not be used by minors. Account holders may be required to complete identity and age verification before accessing gambling features or withdrawing funds.
Players should use strong passwords, avoid sharing login information and enable additional account security features whenever they are available.
Access to deposits, withdrawals and wagering history can help players understand their actual spending and identify changes in gambling behaviour.
Players should be able to request information about account limits, cooling-off options, self-exclusion and available gambling support services.
Stay in Control
Responsible gambling tools are designed to help players control how much money and time they spend. The availability and operation of each feature may depend on the provider and applicable jurisdiction.
Set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits before gambling. A limit should be based only on disposable entertainment income, not available credit or essential living funds.
Set a maximum gambling session duration and take regular breaks. Avoid continuing simply because a session is winning or losing.
Session reminders or reality checks can display how long you have been gambling and may help interrupt extended or automatic play.
A cooling-off period temporarily restricts account access and can provide space to reassess gambling habits without permanently closing an account.
Self-exclusion can restrict access to gambling services for a selected period. Players should contact the relevant provider and consider registering with BetStop where applicable.
Review account statements regularly to compare total deposits, withdrawals, wagering activity and net outcomes over time.
Money Management
Financial discipline is an essential part of safer gambling. Gambling losses should never interfere with essential expenses, debt repayments, savings or family responsibilities.
Decide how much you can afford to lose before starting. Treat that amount as an entertainment expense and do not increase the budget during a gambling session.
Increasing bet sizes or continuing to gamble in an attempt to recover previous losses can rapidly increase financial harm.
Do not gamble with money borrowed from friends, family members, loans, credit facilities or funds reserved for essential expenses.
Consider total deposits and withdrawals over time instead of focusing only on individual wins. A single win does not necessarily mean that gambling has been profitable overall.
Gambling is not a job, investment product or financial solution. Never rely on gambling winnings to pay bills or meet financial goals.
Avoid gambling when stressed, angry, depressed, intoxicated or under pressure. Emotional decision-making can reduce control and increase risk.
Know the Warning Signs
Problem gambling can affect people differently. Identifying the early warning signs can help prevent more serious financial, relationship and mental health consequences.
Being unable to reduce or stop gambling despite previously deciding to spend less money or time.
Returning to gamble shortly after losing money in an attempt to win it back or restore a previous account balance.
Hiding gambling activity, spending or account statements from a partner, family member or close friend.
Using money intended for rent, food, utilities, debt repayments, education, healthcare or savings.
Gambling begins to interfere with employment, study, sleep, relationships or family responsibilities.
Experiencing anxiety, guilt, irritability, depression or strong mood changes connected to gambling results.
Before You Gamble
Decide your maximum spending limit before starting.
Set a clear finish time and take regular breaks.
Do not use rent, bill, food, savings or borrowed money.
Do not increase your budget after losing.
Avoid gambling while affected by alcohol or strong emotions.
Review your account activity and net spending regularly.
Take a cooling-off period when gambling no longer feels enjoyable.
Contact a professional gambling support service when you need help.
Free and Confidential Support
Gambling support is available not only for people who gamble, but also for partners, family members and friends affected by someone else’s gambling. You do not need to wait until the situation becomes severe before asking for help.
Free and confidential gambling counselling, online chat, information and self-help resources are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across Australia.
BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register allows individuals to exclude themselves from all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers through a single registration.
Lifeline provides crisis support for people experiencing emotional distress. Contact Lifeline immediately when you or another person needs urgent mental health support.
Visit Lifeline AustraliaACMA publishes information about Australian online gambling laws, licensed interactive wagering services, prohibited gambling services and blocked gambling websites.
Visit ACMACommon Questions
Find answers to common questions about responsible gambling, self-exclusion, gambling limits, Australian online gambling laws and gambling addiction support.
Responsible gambling means treating gambling as entertainment, understanding that losses are possible, setting affordable money and time limits, avoiding chasing losses and stopping when gambling begins to cause financial or emotional harm.
It also involves using available player protection tools and seeking professional gambling help when necessary.
The legal status depends on the type of gambling service and the provider. Certain Australian-licensed online wagering services may operate subject to applicable laws and licensing requirements.
However, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits certain services from being offered to people in Australia, including online casino-style games, online pokies, online slot machines and online in-play sports betting.
Players should check ACMA information and the official licensed wagering provider register instead of assuming that every gambling website accessible in Australia is legal or licensed.
BetStop is Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register. It enables an individual to exclude themselves from all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers through one registration.
During the exclusion period, covered wagering providers must not allow the registered person to place bets, open new accounts or receive wagering marketing messages.
BetStop applies to Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers. It should not be described as a self-exclusion system covering every offshore gambling or online casino website.
Check the responsible gambling, safer gambling or account settings area of the relevant provider. Depending on the service, you may be able to set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits.
Choose a limit before gambling and base it only on money that you can afford to lose after paying all essential expenses.
A cooling-off period is generally a temporary account restriction intended to provide a short break from gambling.
Self-exclusion is a stronger restriction that blocks gambling access for a selected period and may involve additional procedures before access can be restored.
The exact conditions depend on the provider, jurisdiction and self-exclusion program.
Common warning signs include spending more than intended, being unable to stop, chasing losses, hiding gambling activity, borrowing money to gamble and neglecting work, study or family responsibilities.
Anxiety, guilt, irritability and financial stress connected to gambling may also indicate that professional support is needed.
Stop the session immediately, avoid making another deposit and take a cooling-off period. Do not increase bet sizes or attempt to recover losses within the same session.
Consider activating deposit limits or self-exclusion and contact Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 when repeated loss chasing becomes difficult to control.
Gambling Help Online provides free and confidential telephone and online counselling throughout Australia.
You can call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 at any time or visit Gambling Help Online for live chat and self-help resources.
Yes. Gambling Help Online also supports partners, relatives and friends affected by another person’s gambling.
A counsellor can provide advice about communication, boundaries, financial protection and available support options.
Check ACMA’s official register of licensed interactive wagering service providers. Do not rely only on a gambling website’s own licence statements, logos or advertising claims.
You can also review ACMA’s list of blocked gambling websites and online gambling compliance information.
Gambling should remain optional entertainment and should never interfere with essential expenses, relationships, employment or emotional health. There is no guaranteed gambling strategy, betting system or online game that can reliably produce profit.
If gambling is no longer enjoyable or you are finding it difficult to stop, use a cooling-off period, activate self-exclusion and contact Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858. Free and confidential support is available 24/7 across Australia.
18+ only. Gamble responsibly.