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Like in many other countries, online gambling has become very popular in Australia. Just recently, in 2024, IMARC Group valued Australia’s market size at $5.2 billion and projected it to grow to $8.9 billion within the next few years. This market is expanding, not just because of the convenience of online platforms. Companies targeting it have also mastered the art of making digital games more engaging.
By using features like no deposit casino bonuses, these operators make it incredibly easy for players to start gambling without any upfront cost. Imagine logging in for the first time and being handed free spins or bonus credits. The experience can feel like getting a gift or a harmless way to “try your luck.” And that’s a big part of why the number of Australian online gamblers is increasing.
But as this number increases, the need to slow the flow of easy money into high-risk betting habits has become apparent. And in response, Australia has taken a decisive step to ban credit card and cryptocurrency payments for digital wagering. The logic is that by removing these fast payment options, the government hopes to make it harder for players to spend money they don’t have, while giving those at risk a chance to pause before making impulse bets.
What the ban covers and the logic behind it
As already mentioned, this ban, which was introduced on 11 June 2024, is aimed at preventing licensed digital wagering services from accepting credit-related products and digital currencies as payments for bets. Well, that wasn’t the first time the Australian government had passed such a law in the general gambling industry; land-based venues had already been prohibited from accepting credit cards for bets.
But the regulation doesn’t apply to every form of wagering since online lotteries remain unaffected. And this is still a matter of concern to some industry stakeholders. According to Responsible Wagering Australia’s chief executive, Kai Cantwell, the ban should extend to all forms of gambling because it will help “people stay in control of their own gambling behaviour.”
Cantwell believes that inconsistent regulations in the sector could drive vulnerable Aussies to less-regulated channels, which only increases the risk of harm. Australia is already grappling with the challenge of a rapidly rising number of problem gamblers. As Roy Morgan notes, more than 620,000 of the country’s citizens are considered problem gamblers, with almost 2.9 million more at risk of developing problems.
Putting the two groups together, you have a population of almost 3.5 million individuals who are either struggling with gambling-related issues or are at serious risk. And since this figure is likely to increase, it’s easy to understand why the country took such a move to restrict crypto and credit card-based transactions in this sector.
The transition and enforcement
The Australian Communication and Media Authority is the body responsible for overseeing compliance with this ban. As reports have it, operators had up to six months to comply with the new rules. Failure to adhere to the regulation would attract a fine of up to AUD234,750 (€144,441).
Affirming their commitment to protecting players, Communications Minister Mitchelle Rowland said, “Australians should not be gambling with money they do not have. This ban builds on the significant progress to minimise gambling harm that the Albanese Government has made over the past two years, which is already benefiting thousands of vulnerable Australians.”
On the operators’ side, there has been a remarkably high level of compliance. According to igamingtoday.com, about 50 licensed operators still had mentions of credit or crypto payments in their terms and conditions as of March 2025. But by the time June was coming to an end, the companies had removed those references, highlighting how the industry is adapting fast to the new environment. And to ensure the ban is operating as intended, the government plans to do a review around June next year (2026).
Are there any challenges, and what do these new rules mean for the industry?
A new study from the e61 Institute notes that the 2024 ban has had minimal effect on Australia’s heaviest gamblers. Rather than reducing their betting, most heavy users simply switched from credit cards to transaction accounts and kept wagering almost as much as before.
In fact, while spending via cards dropped to zero, many continued putting down up to AUD 150 every two weeks from their own cash. So, even though the policy made wagering a bit more inconvenient, it barely changed the habits of those already deeply involved in the practice. In other words, simply blocking one payment method hasn’t been enough to stop gambling harm.
After all, online game providers know that one of the ways to keep players returning is by diversifying the transaction options as much as possible. As such, most of them have invested heavily in alternative payment methods like debit cards and wallets, ensuring that even with credit cards and cryptocurrencies banned, players can still fund their accounts easily.
This poses the question of whether the new rules have really achieved their desired end. At a time when the industry is quickly welcoming new technologies, the government will really need to find effective ways of balancing innovation and player protection. But since a policy review is to happen within the next few months, you want to keep a close eye on the industry to see how these changes play out in practice.
