Short answer. Yes, under a licence: section 55 of the Gaming Machine Act 1991 makes gaming under a licence lawful. Online is different, and Queensland's own Act reaches the player too: section 16(2) of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 says a person in Queensland must not take part in an interactive game knowing it is not an authorised or exempt game. The Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which makes providing online pokies to customers in Australia an offence, is quoted on our law page.
Queensland is the one State with its own interactive gambling statute. The Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 defines an interactive game, makes conducting or joining an unauthorised one an offence, and ties play to a registered player account; the Gaming Machine Act 1991 states the object of machine gambling and when gaming under a licence is lawful. All quotes are from the in-force texts on legislation.qld.gov.au as pulled on 2026-09-12. The Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which reaches online casino services offered to people anywhere in Australia, is quoted on this site's online casino law page and is not repeated here.
What the Act says
Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld), section 3: the object of the Act
(1)The overarching object of this Act is to ensure that, on balance, the State and the community as a whole benefit from interactive gambling. (2)The balance is achieved by allowing interactive gambling subject to a system of regulation and control designed to protect players and the community through - (a)ensuring the integrity and fairness of games; and (b)ensuring the probity of those involved in the conduct of interactive gambling; and (c)minimising the potential for harm from interactive gambling. (3)Within the overarching object, the following objects are included - (a)to establish and maintain an appropriate system of regulation and control for interactive gambling; (b)to provide protection for players of interactive games; (c)to provide a basis for implementing an interjurisdictional regulatory scheme for - (i)the reciprocal recognition between participating jurisdictions of licences, authorisations and other administrative acts; and (ii)the regulation and control of interactive gambling in the participating jurisdictions on a cooperative basis; and (iii)the sharing of tax derived from interactive gambling on an equitable basis.
Section 3 of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Section 6: what an interactive game is
(1)An interactive game is a game in which - (a)a prize consisting of money or something else of value is offered or can be won under the rules of the game; and (b)a player - (i)enters the game or takes any step in the game by means of a telecommunication device; and (ii)gives, or undertakes to give, a monetary payment or other valuable consideration to enter, in the course of, or for, the game; and (c)the winner of a prize is decided - (i)wholly or partly by chance; or (ii)by a competition or other activity in which the outcome is wholly or partly dependent on the player's skill.
Section 6 of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Section 16: conducting or joining an unauthorised interactive game
(1)A person must not conduct an interactive game wholly or partly in Queensland, or allow a person who is in Queensland to participate in an interactive game, unless - (a)both of the following apply - (i)the game is an authorised game; (ii)the person is authorised under this Act or a corresponding law to conduct the game; or (b)the game is an exempt game. Maximum penalty - 200 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment. (2)A person in Queensland must not participate in, or encourage or facilitate participation by another in, an interactive game knowing that the game is not an authorised game or an exempt game. Maximum penalty for subsection (2) - 40 penalty units. Division
Section 16 of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Section 17: player registration before play
(1)A licensed provider must not permit a person to participate as a player in an authorised game unless the person is registered with the provider as a player. Maximum penalty - 200 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment. (2)A person must not participate as a player in an authorised game unless the person is registered with the authorised provider who conducts the game as a player. Maximum penalty - 40 penalty units.
Section 17 of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Section 17 of the Interactive Gambling (Player Protection) Act 1998 (Qld) states that a licensed provider must not allow anyone to take part as a player in an authorised game unless that person is registered with the provider as a player. It also states that a person must not take part as a player in an authorised game unless the person is registered with the authorised provider running the game as a player. Both requirements apply unless the person is registered with the relevant provider as a player.
Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), section 1A: the object of the Act
(1)The object of this Act is to ensure that, on balance, the State and the community as a whole benefit from gaming machine gambling. (2)The balance is achieved by allowing gaming machine gambling subject to a system of regulation and control designed to protect players and the community through - (a)ensuring the integrity and fairness of games; and (b)ensuring the probity of those involved in the conduct of gaming machine gambling; and (c)minimising the potential for harm from gaming machine gambling.
Section 1A of the Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), section 55: gaming under a licence is lawful
(1)Despite any other Act or law - (a)the commissioner may, having regard to the information or material the commissioner considers relevant, grant or refuse to grant gaming machine licences; and (b)gaming and the conduct of gaming on licensed premises under this Act is lawful. (2)Without limiting subsection (1)(a), the information or material the commissioner may have regard to includes - (a)information or material about social and community issues; and (b)relevant guidelines made by the commissioner under section 18. (3)Gaming and the conduct of gaming on licensed premises under this Act and any other Act, does not in itself constitute a public or private nuisance. Division
Section 55 of the Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), section 12: what playing a gaming machine means
a person is taken to play a gaming machine if the person, directly or indirectly - (a)inserts a gaming token into; or (b)causes gaming machine credits to be registered by; or (c)makes a bet on; or (d)causes the activation of any process relating to the game of; or (e)makes or participates in the making of the decisions involved in playing; the gaming machine.
Section 12 of the Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Licence status in Australia
None of the sites covered on this site (read here against Queensland law) names an Australian licence; each is an offshore operator as far as Australian law is concerned. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the ACMA's powers under it are quoted on our law page.
How to read this page
Where an Act prints a penalty, it stays inside the quote. No legal advice is given and no individual case is decided; use the section numbers to read further.
Play responsibly
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