What the Interactive Gambling Act Means for Aussie Players – OzGambleHub.com Explained

Australia has always been one of the largest gambling markets, but in recent years we can notice a tightening of control over the work of projects from the government. Today, the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) plays a major role in the operation of local online casinos, which completely shapes the legal environment for projects and users. 

Gambling experts and regular contributors to ozgamblehub.com, Andrew Romine and Jim Gray, have been following developments in the online casino market in Australia for many years and have dedicated a whole series of publications to the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA). Now they have collected them in a full-fledged guide, which will tell what types of online gambling is not prohibited in the country, how the regulation of local and international projects, how the requirements of the law affect payments and bonuses. They will also share current trends and predictions for possible changes in the future.

History of the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA)

The Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) was passed in 2001 and has been updated several times since then to keep up with current realities. Its main purpose is to regulate the online casino Australia market and protect local users from potential risks.

Today, the IGA fulfils several main tasks: 

• Banning the operation of unlicensed Australian casinos
• Restriction of gambling adverts; 
• Combating illegal gambling and protecting users;
• Establishment of a centralised payment control system. 

It is important to understand that the law does not prohibit Australians from playing at Australian online casinos, but it does restrict the operation of unlicensed projects, advertising campaigns and certain types of betting.

What Types of Gambling are Legal in Australia

The IGA prohibits the provision of certain categories of games to users from Australia, but does not prohibit betting itself. This means that it is possible to play at casino online Australia with foreign roots, but local projects cannot offer such services.

Today, the following entertainment formats can be attributed to the permitted categories of activities in Australia online casino:

• Online casinos – slots and table games in digital format;
• Online poker – virtual poker rooms available to Australians;
• Interactive Live games – broadcasts with the participation of real dealers with different conditions of participation; fall under the ban;
• Sports betting – betting with a variety of markets and formats on popular sports disciplines and matches;
  Fantasy sports is an innovative form of entertainment that is now being actively developed in Australia;
• Lotteries and bingo – draws are regulated by separate laws.

Users from Australia can play at online casinos Australia if these sites offer them options to sign up.

How Online Casinos AUS are Regulated

The IGA prohibits unlicensed Aussie online casinos from accepting local users, but the teams of many projects get around this ban because they are based out of the country.

The following actions help them to do so. Projects obtain licences in other jurisdictions (Curacao, Malta, Gibraltar), use cryptocurrencies and anonymous payments, and are promoted through affiliate programmes rather than direct advertising.

It is important to consider the safety factors when registering with online casino AUS systems. Pay attention to projects that have licences from reliable and reputable regulators, as they have a much better chance of playing safely. But if the developers and team refuse to pay out winnings, Australian laws will not help, as they do not apply to them. 

Always check for a licence, withdrawal conditions and support of popular payment systems before depositing money. Avoid registering on fraudulent sites and choose proven projects with positive reviews

What Users Can Do at Online Casinos

The IGA does not prohibit users from accessing and registering with foreign operator websites, like Aussie casino online systems. This means that Australians can bet at online casinos, play poker and slots. and take advantage of international bonuses and promotions to increase their starting capital and improve their chances of winning.

When doing so, we recommend that you pay attention to a few important characteristics. The online casino should support the local currency – Australian dollars (AUD), which will help you avoid commissions. Also, the project system should have convenient deposit methods that are popular among the local audience – PayID, Neosurf, cryptocurrencies. And don’t forget to make sure that the online casino brand is not blacklisted by ACMA

How the Law Affects Payouts and Bonuses

The Interactive Gambling Act imposes certain restrictions on the operation of projects. On the one hand online casinos can not advertise bonuses directly to the audience from Australia, as well as offer VIP-programmes and cashback. Note that not all banks support gambling and can block payments when trying to withdraw winnings.

You can get bonuses from overseas online casino systems that offer their services within Australia, as well as crypto casinos where there are no restrictions on payments

Many bonuses are indeed extremely lucrative and can bring additional chances to get winnings. For example, at Playfina Casino, you will have access to 225% for registration as well as 600 freespins. Neospin Casino’s welcome package offers a 100% bonus and 100 freespins. And you can get up to 10,000 AUD extra for registering with Golden Crown Casino.

Future Changes in the Law

Now the Australian government is actively discussing new restrictions that may come into force in the coming years. Experts suggest that the following changes are expected in the coming years:

• A complete ban on access to foreign online casinos;
• Restricting cryptocurrency payments;
• Blocking financial transactions to unlicensed online casinos;
• Tighter control over VIP programmes.

This means that many users may find it more difficult to deposit and withdraw winnings, and fewer bonus offers will be available to them

But at the moment access to Aussie online casino remains open. If you want to play safely in online casinos, choose projects with a licence and positive reviews, a variety of methods for deposit and withdrawal, as well as current bonuses and promotions. Do not forget about the risks and adhere to the principles of responsible gaming.