Question
Is it actually legal to play at offshore casinos in aus?
ok so basically i keep getting ads for these online casinos that arent based here and a mate told me theyre offshore or whatever. i wanna try but im a bit nervous, like what actually happens if i play at one? can i get in trouble or lose my money or something. never done this before so any help appreciated
Best
253
mate ive been doing this for a couple years now. the short version is the gov technically bans the operators from offering services here under the IGA but they dont go after players. like ive never heard of a single person getting fined for just playing. the real risk is the casino itself being dodgy not the law. i stick with Boomerang these days because withdrawals actually go through and they didnt muck me around with verification. before that i used some random one and waited 2 weeks for a payout that nearly didnt come. so honestly the legal side isnt your problem, picking a site that actually pays out is
126
yeah can confirm. been playing offshore for ages and never had a single issue legally. the main thing is just doing your homework on the site first. i had one good experience and one absolute nightmare with a site that ghosted me, so the operator matters way more than the legal stuff
118
fwiw the interactive gambling act 2001 targets the companies not the punters. afaik no aussie player has ever copped a penalty for using these sites. the ACMA can block the sites tho so sometimes you might find one stops working and you need a workaround
74
to add to what others said, the money side is the bigger thing to think about. these sites arent regulated by anyone here so if something goes wrong theres no aussie body you can complain to. you're relying on whatever licence they hold offshore, malta or curacao usually. just keep that in mind
87
idk about all this. if its banned for the operators how are people just casually using them with no consequences at all? sounds like everyones just hoping they dont get caught tbh
5
nah its not about getting caught steve. the law literally doesnt make it an offence for the player. it only penalises the operator providing the service. theres a difference between something being banned to offer vs banned to use. ive read the actual govt page on it, players are not the target
5
wait so if my money gets stuck at one of these can i do anything at all or am i just stuffed?
74
pretty much depends on the licence they hold. if theyre under MGA (malta) you can lodge a complaint with their regulator and sometimes get it sorted. curacao ones are way harder, basically good luck. thats why people bang on about checking the licence before you deposit anything
36
does using these affect my bank at all? like will my bank flag the transactions or block them?
44
some banks do block gambling transactions to offshore sites yeah, especially the big four. people get around it with cards that dont block it or crypto. wont get you in trouble or anything, the bank just sometimes declines the payment. happened to me with one bank, switched and it went through fine
24
can vouch for everything in here. played offshore for years, zero legal drama. only times ive been burned were dodgy operators not the law. once you find one or two solid sites that pay out you just stick with em and stop stressing. the legal fear is way overblown imo