Land-based casinos in Queensland operate under regulatory supervision, ensuring player safety and fair play, adhering to established laws and regulations. Despite the availability of international online casinos, it’s crucial to note that these platforms operate outside Australian jurisdiction. This pivotal legislation, passed by the Australian Commonwealth Parliament, prohibits the advertisement and provision of real-money online gambling services to Australian citizens. Housing more than 1,300 pokies and various table games, including exclusive offerings like Treasury 21 and the Treasury Wheel, this casino ensures an immersive gaming experience complemented by luxurious choices. This opulent casino features an extensive array of gaming machines, including pokies and video poker, alongside an impressive selection of table games. This is the primary piece of Queensland legislation that deals with online gambling. ‘Traditionally, probity checks have taken many months for new operators in casinos across the different state jurisdictions,’ creating significant transition challenges.
This establishment, operated by Morris Group, provides visitors with a charming gaming atmosphere coupled with high-quality hotel rooms and entertainment. Boasting over 300 pokies and an assortment of other engaging casino games. The establishment exudes luxury and offers patrons top-tier hotel rooms, ensuring a memorable stay. Fair Go Casino no deposit bonus offers Aussie players an easy and risk-free way to start playing with a $5 free chip using the code FAIRGO5. Explore one of the most exciting online casino offers in Australia for 2026, the Joka No-Deposit Bonus Australia! This Act, also regulated by the OLGR, specifically governs the licensing and operation of sports and race betting services in Queensland (which are permitted under Federal law). The prohibition on providing online casino-style services (pokies, blackjack, roulette) to Australians is governed by the Commonwealth (Federal) law, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth).
Similarly, a skill game with no element of chance is also not considered gambling and does not require any licence, unless it is operated online and falls within certain ‘interactive gaming’ regimes regulated by state and territory gambling regulators. Bingo is often regarded as minor gaming and may be conducted for fundraising or charitable purposes, typically by a community or other not-for-profit organisation. In relation to hotels and clubs, a venue requires both a gaming venue licence and also a permit/licence for each gaming machine a venue operates. Corporate Bookmakers typically also offer ‘totalisator-derivative’ or ‘tote odds’ type betting. Corporate Bookmakers offer fixed-odds betting online and over the telephone on sport, racing and other approved events, whereas On-course Bookmakers offer fixed-odds betting on-course and, subject to approval, also over The Star Brisbane residency telephone and in some instances online on similar events as a Corporate Bookmaker. There are also various subordinate legislative instruments, including regulations, which have not been included. There are many pieces of legislation that are incidental to gambling activity (for example, legislation setting the applicable gambling tax rates).
Gambling in Australia, including online wagering, sports betting, and lotteries, is heavily regulated and subject to licensing at both federal and state/territory levels. Using these powers, the federal government has enacted legislation regulating, amongst other things, interactive gambling, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) and consumer and competition protections (also known as anti-trust matters in some other jurisdictions). There has been significant growth in this area with various business models implemented (including ‘membership-style’ businesses) which have been investigated by regulatory authorities and are the subject of litigation in the SA. In addition to the compulsory responsible gambling messages and warnings, it is an offence to advertise an inducement to open a betting account or to refer another person to open a betting account and, in some jurisdictions, to gamble or to gamble more frequently. A state or territory licence is typically required to operate a bingo centre in the relevant jurisdiction.
"The probity concerns affecting Star Entertainment highlight the importance of robust regulatory frameworks. On one hand, Treasury Brisbane remains a world-class facility with tremendous potential, especially with the upcoming Olympics. The city’s growing population and international recognition from hosting the Olympics could drive significant investments in casino facilities over the next decade. The upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympics presents both challenges and opportunities for the city’s casino industry. Mr Hughes, an industry analyst, believes Star would likely look to shore up some of its stronger assets, including the Brisbane casino, ahead of the 2032 Olympics—a major opportunity for Queensland’s tourism sector.
Separately, SkyCity Group (SA) was ordered by the Federal Court to pay a $67 million penalty in June 2024, after AUSTRAC launched civil penalty proceedings against it for breaches of the AML/CTF legislation. This has included action taken by AUSTRAC in relation to casino licensees in Vic, NSW, Qld, WA and also SA examining money laundering issues (including those concerning ‘junket operators’). The ACMA has also been particularly active in relation to enforcement action in connection with spam legislation where infringements by a number of wagering operators have been identified. Enforcement action by the ACMA is also likely to continue following the implementation of various legislative changes, including in relation to illegal gambling sites and following the recent commencement of the NSER. The introduction of the power for particular regulators to issue penalty infringement notices for certain gambling-related offences as an alternative to commencing court action has been a recent development in this jurisdiction. State and territory licensees are expected to have appropriate controls in place to ensure that they comply with their licence obligations, including relevant laws and any conditions attaching to their licence.
Have fines, licence revocations or other sanctions been enforced in your jurisdiction? What appetite for and track record of enforcement does your local regulatory authority have? Whilst federal, state and territory laws and regulations are often capable of being contravened by directors and other officers of licensees, recent regulatory action has been taken against corporate licensees only. Legislation prohibits bets being taken by a Corporate Bookmaker on the outcome of a lottery (that is, ‘synthetic lotteries’). The regulator responsible for enforcing the Interactive Gambling Act, the ACMA, has consumer protection responsibilities and powers relating to the enforcement of prohibitions on providing or advertising illegal interactive gambling services. The Interactive Gambling Act provides that it is unlawful for overseas-based operators not holding a relevant state or territory licence to advertise or provide online gambling services to Australian residents.
Advocates of cashless gaming consider that it will assist in identifying and preventing improper use of poker machines and mitigate gambling harm when coupled with the use of mandatory pre-commitment limits. Until that time, the potential use of digital currencies had been under consideration in the NT. Failure to comply with the AML/CTF Act, including by not maintaining a compliant AML/CTF Program, and not filing TTRs and/or SMRs (or filing them late), can result in large civil penalties and possible criminal exposure. Under the AML/CTF Act, certain gambling activities are classified as ‘designated services’ and, as such, reporting entities are required, among other things, to register with AUSTRAC, develop and maintain a compliant AML/CTF Program and report certain transactions to AUSTRAC, including by way of TTRs and SMRs.
In the case of lotteries, aside from Tas (which operates under renewable five-year permits linked to Victorian and Queensland licences) and WA (where lotteries are owned and operated by the state), the expiry dates are generally shorter than in relation to Retail Wagering; however, they still range between 2024 and 2072. Various states (including NSW and Vic) have implemented harm minimisation measures to cap the number of gaming machine permits/licences on issue in certain lower socio-economic areas. The number of licences available are limited and there are typically only one per state and territory (except in the case of current casino licences held in each of Qld, NT and NSW, the two recently issued Vic keno licences, and potentially for new wagering licences) and the processes are very infrequent. Retail operations are typically conducted using authorised agents and licensing distribution arrangements. Casino table gaming and gaming machines, Retail Wagering, lotteries and keno all require an operator licence, which is typically long-dated and is granted by the relevant Australian state or territory.