Growing share of international offshore casinos

The material is included in "Trends in Australian Online Casinos: 2025 Survey."

1) Reasons for the growing popularity of offshore casinos

Despite the tight regulation of ACMA and individual states, Australian players are increasingly turning to international platforms with licenses from Curacao, MGA and other offshore jurisdictions. Main growth factors:

• A wider selection of slots, board games and live casinos.
• Access to cryptocurrency transactions and multi-currency game.
• Fewer bonus and promotion restrictions.
• Rapid and anonymous deposits/withdrawals.
• No regional limits on rates and deposits.

2) Attractiveness for players

Australian users often face restrictions in locally licensed casinos:

• strict deposit and self-holding limits;
• mandatory KYC verification;
• limited payment methods.

Offshore casinos offer an alternative - less bureaucracy and more flexibility. This is especially true for high rollers and those who use cryptocurrency.

3) Risks and vulnerabilities

The growth of the offshore segment also carries obvious threats:

• Lack of protection from local regulators (in controversial situations, the player does not have legal support in Australia).
• Opacity of bonus terms and possible payment delays.
• The risk of encountering unlicensed platforms masquerading as legal.

However, many offshore casinos are actively implementing self-regulation mechanisms to maintain user confidence.

4) Regulators reaction

ACMA continues to block the sites of illegal operators, but it is impossible to completely close access to offshore casinos.
In some states (NSW, VIC), advertising and payment channel controls are being strengthened.
It is expected that by 2026 a unified register of permitted operators may be introduced, where Australian players will be redirected when trying to enter offshore sites.

5) Market Outlook

Experts predict that the share of offshore casinos in Australia by 2025-2026 may reach 40-50% of the total online gambling. This means:

• Increased competition between local and international operators.
• Growth in demand for flexible payment methods (crypto, e-wallets).
• The emergence of hybrid platforms that combine international licenses with Australian security standards.

Result

The growth of offshore casinos reflects the globalization of online gambling. Australian players are looking for flexibility and diversity that local operators may not always offer. At the same time, the trend intensifies the challenges for regulators and raises the question of the balance between freedom of choice and protecting the interests of players.

Do you want me to compile a comparative table "Local vs offshore casinos" for this article (according to the criteria: bonuses, payment methods, KYC, player protection, risks)? This will make the material more practical and reader-friendly.