Land-based casinos in Australia are primarily regulated by State government regulators and law enforcement agencies. Each State and Territory has a relevant Casino Control Act (or similar legislation) under which casino licences have been issued.
There are currently 14 land-based casino licences on issue in Australia, with a process underway for the expected development of an integrated resort and casino in northern Queensland. A land-based casino licence permits the relevant casino to typically offer traditional table games and gaming machines.
Online casino is not permitted under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) (IGA). The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) monitors compliance with and enforces the interactive gambling laws. The ACMA has the power to, amongst other things, instigate civil proceedings in Australia, notify border protection agencies of the names of directors/principals of offending illegal offshore operators (who may then be placed on a ‘movement alert list’ thereby disrupting any travel to Australia) and liaise with foreign regulators to stop alleged offenders.
The ACMA has recently demonstrated that where illegal gambling product is offered in Australia they will serve warning notices and take other action (including referring matters to the Australian Federal Police). They will also issue notices to Internet Service Providers to block offending sites. These are typically online casinos. Software developers and other third parties will often receive letters from the ACMA in circumstances where the ACMA believes they are ancillary to a contravention of the IGA.
Senet are leading casino lawyers in Australia and our team are ranked in Chambers & Partners Global and Asia Pacific as leading experts in gambling law and regulation. Senet have deep understanding of casino laws, regulations and best practices in relation to responsible gaming policies, procedures and practices. Our team advise in relation to:
Senet have been instructed to work on some of the most high profile matters in relation to casinos in Australia.
Through the Senet Compliance Academy we provide a full spectrum of gaming compliance training courses to ensure that all staff and the casino complying with its legal and regulatory training obligations. We include casino specific customisations to ensure our courses include content specific to the policies and procedures unique to the organisation particularly in relation to Responsible Gaming and Anti-Money Laundering. Our online platform allows you to select users, assign courses, track completion and gather detailed analytics to help refine your training over time. Through the Senet Compliance Academy we also provide facilitated face-to-face training with key area of focus being Board Director training, Responsible Gaming and AML/CTF refresher training.
Our team of gambling industry experts advise clients in a range of sectors including bookmakers, casinos, lotteries, licensed gaming venues, gaming manufacturers, social gaming, government and regulators across a spectrum of services encompassing legal, advisory and gambling compliance training services. To understand how you can meet and exceed your legal and regulatory obligations, contact the expert team at Senet.