Top betting sites in Australia
Measured against the licence, not the marketing. We feature operators that hold a current Australian wagering licence — and we publish the licensee, the ABN and the regulator behind each one, so you can check the claim instead of trusting it.
How we rate
Betfair
Australia's only licensed betting exchange
- Licensee
- Betfair Pty Limited
- ABN
- 30 110 084 985
- Regulator
- Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission
- Instrument
- Betting exchange licence
- Legislation
- Racing and Wagering Act 2024 (NT)
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How we rate an operator
Every operator is scored out of ten against six criteria, and the headline rating is the mean of those six — never a number we pick first and justify afterwards. Licensing is the only one that can disqualify outright.
- 01Mandatory
Licensing & integrity
The operator must hold a current licence from an Australian state or territory wagering authority, and the licensee entity must be traceable on a public register. We record the entity name and ABN and link both. No licence, no listing.
- 02
Markets & odds
How wide the racing and sport coverage runs, how competitive the pricing is once margin or commission is accounted for, and whether in-play and futures markets are actually available rather than merely advertised.
- 03
Payments
Which deposit and withdrawal rails are supported, how quickly withdrawals clear once identity checks are done, and whether the operator complies with the federal ban on credit cards and digital currencies.
- 04
Customer support
Whether help is reachable by more than one channel, whether hours suit Australian time zones, and how the operator handles disputes and complaints.
- 05
Mobile experience
Native iOS and Android apps or a mobile site that works properly on a phone — tested for whether limits and account controls are as easy to reach as the bet slip.
- 06
Safer gambling tools
Deposit limits, activity statements, account closure and BetStop integration must be present and easy to find. We mark down operators that bury these behind support requests.
A rating is our editorial opinion about the quality of a service. It is not a measure of how likely you are to win, and no score should be read as a reason to bet. We earn a commission when a reader opens an account through our links, so treat the placement itself as advertising — the licence details beside it are matters of public record, and each one is linked to its source so you can check it yourself.
What you can legally bet on
Online gambling in Australia is governed by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth), enforced by the ACMA, with licensing handled by state and territory authorities. The Act draws a hard line between wagering and casino-style games.
Wagering
Sports betting
Pre-match bets online with a licensed operator. Once play starts, a bet must be placed by telephone or in person.
Racing
Thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing with a licensed operator or totalisator — racing is exempt from the in-play restriction.
Lotteries and keno
Through operators licensed by a state or territory.
Casino-style games
Online casino games
Pokies, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and live dealer tables cannot be licensed anywhere in Australia.
Online poker for money
Real-money online poker falls under the same prohibition.
Online in-play sports betting
Once a sporting event is under way, bets cannot be taken online — including by click-to-call, which the 2017 amendment closed. Racing is exempt.
Offshore sites offering pokies or table games to Australians are operating illegally regardless of what licence they display, and the ACMA asks internet providers to block them. We do not list them, and you have no regulatory protection if one refuses to pay you. This page is general information, not legal advice.
How Australians pay
These are the rails licensed Australian wagering operators commonly support. Availability differs by operator, so confirm the current list on the operator's own banking page before you deposit.
Visa debit
Instant depositMastercard debit
Instant depositPayID
Near-instant, bank to bankPOLi
Direct from your bankBPAY
1–2 business daysPayPal
Instant depositApple Pay
Debit card onlyBank transfer
1–3 business days
No credit, no crypto
Australian law prohibits licensed online wagering operators from accepting credit cards, credit-related products such as buy-now-pay-later, and digital currencies. You bet with your own money or not at all.
ACMA guidanceWithdrawals are released once identity verification is complete, and settle in roughly one to three business days depending on the rail. Licensed operators must pay withdrawals back to a method in your own name.
Set your deposit limit first
Decide what you are willing to lose before you sign up, and set the limit during registration rather than after. It is the single most effective control the account gives you.
18+ · T&Cs apply · Advertising · Gamble responsibly
Betting can be addictive
Set a deposit limit before you start, never bet money you need, and stop chasing a loss the moment you notice you are. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858. To block yourself from every licensed Australian operator at once, register with BetStop.
Help resourcesBetting in Australia, answered
The rules that actually apply to Australian bettors — what is legal, what is not, and how to check an operator yourself.
Wagering on sport and racing is legal in Australia when you bet with an operator licensed by a state or territory racing or wagering authority. Online casino games — pokies, roulette, blackjack and live dealer tables — are a different matter: they cannot be licensed anywhere in Australia and are prohibited under section 15 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Sites offering them to Australians are operating illegally, and the ACMA blocks them.
You must be 18 or over. Licensed operators are required to verify your identity and age before you can bet or withdraw, so you will be asked for identity documents during sign-up.
No. Since 11 June 2024, licensed online wagering operators are prohibited from accepting credit cards, credit-related products such as buy-now-pay-later, and digital currencies. The ban is enforced by the ACMA. Deposits must come from your own money — debit cards, PayID, BPAY, POLi, PayPal or a bank transfer.
Find the operator's legal entity name in the footer of its site, then check that entity against the licensing regulator's register — most online wagering operators are licensed in the Northern Territory. You can also look the entity up on the ABN Register at abr.business.gov.au. We publish the licensee, ABN and regulator for the operator we feature so you can repeat the check yourself.
A bookmaker sets the odds and takes the other side of your bet. On an exchange you bet against other customers: you can back an outcome or lay it, and the exchange charges a commission on your net winnings rather than building a margin into the odds. Betfair is the only betting exchange licensed to operate in Australia.
BetStop is Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register. Registering excludes you from every licensed Australian online and phone wagering operator at once, for a minimum of three months up to a lifetime, and stops them sending you marketing. It is free and run under federal law — register at betstop.gov.au.
Set a deposit limit before you start, treat losses as the cost of entertainment rather than something to win back, and take breaks. Every licensed Australian operator must offer deposit limits and account closure, and must show you activity statements. If betting has stopped being fun, Gambling Help Online is free and confidential on 1800 858 858, 24 hours a day.