Share of illegal operators in Australia
Maximum informative text
Introduction
The Australian gambling market in 2025 is strictly regulated at the state and territory level, but a significant part of the players continue to use the services of illegal operators. The main reason is the restriction on the operation of international online casinos, which do not have local licenses, but actively accept Australian customers.
Share of illegal operators
Regulators and analytical agencies estimate that 8% to 12% of the market in 2025 is occupied by illegal sites.
In the online segment, the indicator is higher - up to 15% of the total volume of bets.
Among players, up to 20-25% have used unlicensed services at least once, especially cryptocasinos and foreign sites with minimal registration requirements.
Main characteristics of illegal sites
1. No licence from Australian regulators.
2. Offshore registration (Curaçao, Malta, Cyprus, Panama).
3. Cryptocurrency settlements, anonymous deposits and quick conclusions.
4. Bonus aggressive policy - large welcome packs and cashbacks that are not available from legal competitors.
5. Minimal user checks - registration without verification, which attracts a young audience.
Reasons for the popularity of illegal operators
Limited choice in the legal sector: in Australia, some of the online gambling formats are prohibited.
Attractive conditions are high bonuses, instant deposits through cryptocurrency.
No tax cap on winnings.
Anonymity and simplified access without lengthy KYC procedure.
Market impact
Budget losses from taxes and fees are estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Legal operators lose part of the audience, especially among high rollers.
Players are exposed to high risks: lack of guarantees of payments and responsible play tools.
Regulatory measures in 2025
Increase control over IP blocking of unlicensed sites.
Introduction of additional requirements for banks and payment systems to block transactions to illegal sites.
Establish a national register of operators operating without permission to alert players.
Collaboration with international regulators to share information on grey casinos.
Result
In 2025, the share of illegal operators in Australia remains noticeable, despite the active efforts of the government. The online segment is most susceptible to the penetration of offshore sites, which creates risks for players and the country's budget. To reduce the level of illegal gambling, the authorities rely on technological blocking tools, tightening legislation and increasing the attractiveness of legal platforms.
Introduction
The Australian gambling market in 2025 is strictly regulated at the state and territory level, but a significant part of the players continue to use the services of illegal operators. The main reason is the restriction on the operation of international online casinos, which do not have local licenses, but actively accept Australian customers.
Share of illegal operators
Regulators and analytical agencies estimate that 8% to 12% of the market in 2025 is occupied by illegal sites.
In the online segment, the indicator is higher - up to 15% of the total volume of bets.
Among players, up to 20-25% have used unlicensed services at least once, especially cryptocasinos and foreign sites with minimal registration requirements.
Main characteristics of illegal sites
1. No licence from Australian regulators.
2. Offshore registration (Curaçao, Malta, Cyprus, Panama).
3. Cryptocurrency settlements, anonymous deposits and quick conclusions.
4. Bonus aggressive policy - large welcome packs and cashbacks that are not available from legal competitors.
5. Minimal user checks - registration without verification, which attracts a young audience.
Reasons for the popularity of illegal operators
Limited choice in the legal sector: in Australia, some of the online gambling formats are prohibited.
Attractive conditions are high bonuses, instant deposits through cryptocurrency.
No tax cap on winnings.
Anonymity and simplified access without lengthy KYC procedure.
Market impact
Budget losses from taxes and fees are estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Legal operators lose part of the audience, especially among high rollers.
Players are exposed to high risks: lack of guarantees of payments and responsible play tools.
Regulatory measures in 2025
Increase control over IP blocking of unlicensed sites.
Introduction of additional requirements for banks and payment systems to block transactions to illegal sites.
Establish a national register of operators operating without permission to alert players.
Collaboration with international regulators to share information on grey casinos.
Result
In 2025, the share of illegal operators in Australia remains noticeable, despite the active efforts of the government. The online segment is most susceptible to the penetration of offshore sites, which creates risks for players and the country's budget. To reduce the level of illegal gambling, the authorities rely on technological blocking tools, tightening legislation and increasing the attractiveness of legal platforms.
