Short answer. Not for the operator. Section 15 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 makes it an offence to provide a prohibited interactive gambling service to customers in Australia, and section 15AA does the same for an unlicensed regulated service; both are quoted below. Both offences are committed by the person who provides the service, as sections 15 and 15AA word them; neither section is written against the person who plays. State law can reach the player as well: Queensland's Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998, section 16(2), says a person in Queensland must not take part in an interactive game knowing it is not authorised or exempt - it is quoted on the Queensland page.
The question has a written answer in one Commonwealth Act. Below are the sections of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 that define a prohibited interactive gambling service, say when a service is treated as provided to Australia, and set the offences for providing and advertising such a service, quoted from the compilation in force on the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au) as pulled on 2026-09-07. The Act is quoted; nothing on this page adds to it.
What the Act says
Section 3: the outline the Act gives of itself
• This Act imposes the following prohibitions: (a) a prohibited interactive gambling service must not be provided to customers in Australia; (b) unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services must not be provided to customers in Australia; (c) an Australian-based prohibited interactive gambling service must not be provided to customers in designated countries; (ca) credit must not be provided to customers of certain interactive wagering services; (cb) certain interactive wagering services must not accept or offer to accept payment using specified methods, including credit cards and digital currency; (d) prohibited interactive gambling services must not be advertised; (e) unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services must not be advertised; (f) licensed interactive wagering services must not be provided to an individual who is registered in the National Self-exclusion Register.
Section 3 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, compilation in force on 14 October 2024, on legislation.gov.au, pulled 7 September 2026.
Section 5: what a prohibited interactive gambling service is
a prohibited interactive gambling service is a gambling service, where: (a) the service is provided in the course of carrying on a business; and (b) the service is provided to customers using any of the following: (i) an internet carriage service; (ii) any other listed carriage service; (iii) a broadcasting service; (iv) any other content service; (v) a datacasting service.
Section 5 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, compilation in force on 14 October 2024, on legislation.gov.au, pulled 7 September 2026.
Section 8: the Australian-customer link
a gambling service has an Australian-customer link if, and only if, any or all of the customers of the service are physically present in Australia.
Section 8 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, compilation in force on 14 October 2024, on legislation.gov.au, pulled 7 September 2026.
Section 15: the offence of providing such a service to customers in Australia
(1) A person commits an offence if: (a) the person intentionally provides a prohibited interactive gambling service; and (b) the service has an Australian-customer link (see section 8).
Section 15 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, compilation in force on 14 October 2024, on legislation.gov.au, pulled 7 September 2026.
Section 15 of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 states that a person is committing an offence if that person intentionally provides a prohibited interactive gambling service and the service has an Australian-customer link as described in section 8. Both conditions - intentional provision of the service and the presence of an Australian-customer link - must be met for the offence to occur.
Section 15AA: unlicensed regulated interactive gambling services
(1) A person commits an offence if: (a) the person intentionally provides a particular kind of regulated interactive gambling service; and (b) the service has an Australian-customer link (see section 8); and (c) the person does not hold a licence (however described) under a law of a State or Territory that authorises the provision of that kind of service in the State or Territory.
Section 15AA of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, compilation in force on 14 October 2024, on legislation.gov.au, pulled 7 September 2026.
How to read this page
The Act is quoted; the line under a quote is our plain reading of it. This page does not give legal advice and does not decide any individual case; the section numbers above are the reference. State and territory law is not quoted here.
Play responsibly
18+ only. Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 - free, confidential, 24 hours a day, Australia. Self-exclusion register: BetStop.