Market Overview
Australia's casino sector is one of the most heavily scrutinised industries in the country — and for good reason. The three major casino operators, Crown Resorts, Star Entertainment and SkyCity, have collectively paid over AUD $517 million in regulatory penalties since 2024 for money laundering failures, responsible gambling breaches and criminal infiltration. Despite this, the physical casino industry remains large. IBISWorld identifies Crown Resorts as the dominant player, with the company reporting total revenue of $2.84 billion in 2025 — its first profit in five years following a corporate overhaul under new private equity owner Blackstone.
Meanwhile, the online gambling market continues to grow despite the prohibition on online casino games under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Australians who play casino games online are overwhelmingly doing so on offshore platforms that operate illegally in Australia but cannot easily be stopped. IMARC Group estimates Australia's total online gambling market at USD $5.5 billion in 2025, with online casino-style products — slots, table games, live dealer — accounting for a substantial portion of that figure, despite their illegal status under federal law.
Overlaying all of this is Australia's legal lottery sector, one of the most profitable in the world on a per-capita basis. The Lottery Corporation — demerged from Tabcorp in 2022 — posted $4 billion in group revenue for FY2024, generating $1.9 billion in tax revenue for state governments and serving 4.75 million active registered customers nationally.
Major Casino Operators
Australia has 13 licensed casinos across all states and territories. The market is dominated by three major groups, all of which have faced severe regulatory action in recent years. The scandals — involving money laundering, criminal infiltration and systematic responsible gambling failures — have reshaped the industry's relationship with state regulators, and placed every major casino licence under unprecedented scrutiny.
Crown Resorts
Crown Melbourne is the largest casino complex in the Southern Hemisphere, covering 510,000m² across two city blocks on the south bank of the Yarra River. It holds a licence for 540 table games — including 100 poker tables — and 2,500 poker machines. Following royal commissions and regulatory inquiries in three states, Crown was acquired by US private equity giant Blackstone in 2022 for over $6 billion. Under new management, Crown posted its first profit in five years in 2025 and has pivoted toward hospitality and entertainment to reduce dependency on gaming revenue. Crown Sydney, notably, has no pokies — rival Star Entertainment holds a state monopoly on EGMs in NSW until 2041. In July 2025, Crown Perth was recommended to retain its gaming licence by the WA Gaming and Wagering Commission following its remediation program.
The Star Entertainment Group
Star Entertainment is Australia's second-largest casino group, but by early 2025 it was in acute financial distress. The company held just AUD $79 million in available cash at the end of 2024, down from $186 million three months earlier, after burning through $107 million. Its market capitalisation had collapsed from over $3 billion before its 2022 regulatory inquiry to just $415 million. Star was found unsuitable to hold its NSW casino licence after that inquiry, has received multiple additional fines since — including a $15 million NICC penalty in October 2024 — and continues to operate under independent supervision. The Star Sydney holds the NSW government's EGM monopoly until 2041, which provides a lifeline of assured revenue despite ongoing compliance failures.
SkyCity Entertainment Group
SkyCity operates casinos in Adelaide and Darwin. Like Crown and Star, it has faced substantial regulatory action: the Federal Court ordered SkyCity to pay a $67 million penalty in June 2024 after AUSTRAC launched civil proceedings for breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation. The Adelaide casino is the only licensed casino in South Australia. Darwin's casino is notable for serving a jurisdiction with the highest problem gambling rate in Australia — a fact that has drawn sustained public health scrutiny.
Other Notable Casinos
Australia's remaining licensed casinos are smaller, regionally focused properties. Treasury Casino in Brisbane's CBD is operated by Star Entertainment, while The Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns is operated by Aquis Entertainment. Wrest Point in Hobart, opened in 1973, was Australia's first legal casino. Lasseters in Alice Springs serves the Northern Territory alongside the Darwin casino. Most of these properties offer a reduced range of table games and pokies compared to the major capital city integrated resorts.
Casino Table Games
Table games are the prestige product of Australian land-based casinos, accounting for a significant share of casino revenue — particularly from high-value ("VIP" or "high roller") players. Crown Melbourne's 540 table game licence is one of the largest in the world outside of Macau and Las Vegas. The following covers the most popular games found in Australian casinos and, for those using offshore platforms, their online equivalents.
Blackjack
The most widely played table game in Australian casinos. Players compete against the dealer to reach 21 without going bust. Blackjack offers one of the lowest house edges of any casino game when played with basic strategy. Australian casinos typically use six to eight deck shoes and slightly different rules (dealer stands on soft 17 at Crown Melbourne). Available in standard, speed, and multi-hand variations across most properties.
House edge: 0.5–2% (strategy-dependent)Roulette
A staple of every Australian casino. Most venues offer European roulette (single zero, lower house edge) and American roulette (double zero). Crown Melbourne operates one of the largest roulette floors in the Southern Hemisphere. The game is particularly popular with international visitors, especially those from Asia. Mini-roulette and electronic roulette terminals are also offered at most properties. Online, roulette is one of the most commonly played games on offshore platforms accessed by Australians.
House edge: 2.7% (European) / 5.26% (American)Baccarat
Baccarat is the dominant game among VIP and high-roller players in Australian casinos — a pattern consistent with Asian casino markets globally, where baccarat accounts for over 80% of revenue in some jurisdictions. Across the Asia-Pacific casino market, baccarat led all game types with 34.76% market share in 2024. In Australia, Crown's high-roller baccarat programme has historically been a key revenue driver — and the source of the money laundering scandal that triggered the royal commission. Punto Banco is the standard variant offered in Australian casinos.
House edge: 1.06% (banker) / 1.24% (player)Poker (Table)
Crown Melbourne holds a licence for 100 dedicated poker tables — one of the largest poker rooms in the Southern Hemisphere. The room hosts regular tournaments, satellites and cash games across multiple stakes levels. Three Card Poker, Casino Hold'em and Caribbean Stud are also offered as house-banked poker variants, where the player competes against the dealer rather than other players. The Australian Poker Tour and events such as the Aussie Millions (Crown) are major drawcards for serious poker players.
House edge: 2–5% (casino poker variants)Craps
Less common in Australian casinos than in Las Vegas, craps is offered at Crown Melbourne and a handful of other major properties. The game's complexity and fast pace make it popular with experienced casino visitors, and it offers some of the best odds in the casino when betting the pass line with full odds. Casual Australian casino visitors tend to gravitate toward blackjack and roulette ahead of craps.
House edge: 1.41% (pass line)Asian Table Games
Catering to a significant proportion of Asian tourists and residents who visit major casinos, most large Australian properties offer Sic Bo (a dice game popular in Chinese casinos), Pai Gow (a domino-based game), and Dragon Tiger (a simplified baccarat variant). These games are found predominantly at Crown Melbourne, Crown Sydney and The Star properties, which have historically targeted the Asian VIP segment.
House edge: 2.8–29.2% (varies by bet type)Electronic Gaming Machines in Casinos
Every licensed casino in Australia except Crown Sydney operates electronic gaming machines — pokies. Casino EGMs differ from pub and club pokies in important ways: they typically allow higher maximum bets, higher denomination play, and often feature a wider variety of game themes. Casino EGMs are also not subject to the same harm minimisation requirements as those in pubs and clubs in some jurisdictions.
Crown Melbourne's 2,500 poker machines represent one of the largest casino EGM floors in the country. The machines are licensed separately from the state's hotel and club EGMs, with different technical standards applying. As previously noted, Crown Sydney is unique in having no pokies at all — a condition attached to its 2020 licence, with Star Entertainment maintaining an exclusive NSW EGM casino monopoly until 2041.
| Casino | EGMs (approx.) | State | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Melbourne | 2,500 | Victoria | Largest casino EGM floor nationally; max bet cut to $100 in 2024 |
| Crown Perth | ~1,500 | Western Australia | Only licensed venue for EGMs in WA — no pub/club pokies permitted |
| The Star Sydney | ~1,500 | New South Wales | Holds state EGM monopoly until 2041; Crown Sydney has none |
| The Star Gold Coast | ~1,100 | Queensland | Previously Jupiter's Casino; major tourist market |
| The Star Brisbane | ~1,000 | Queensland | Treasury Casino; CBD location |
| SkyCity Adelaide | ~900 | South Australia | Only licensed casino in SA |
| Crown Sydney | 0 | New South Wales | No EGMs — licence condition when opened 2020 |
Sources: State gaming regulators; casino annual reports; Wikipedia Crown Melbourne. EGM numbers are approximate and subject to change.
For a full analysis of pokies in Australian pubs, clubs and casinos — including state-by-state machine counts, revenue data and harm statistics — see our dedicated Pokies in Australia page.
Online Casino Games in Australia
Online casino gaming occupies a peculiar legal position in Australia: it is prohibited for licensed operators to offer these products to Australian residents, yet hundreds of thousands of Australians access them regularly via offshore platforms. The ACMA actively blocks unlicensed gambling sites — between October and December 2024 alone, 75 websites were referred for blocking — but determined users circumvent these measures using VPNs.
Understanding what Australians are accessing, and why, is important context. The Australian online casino market is estimated at USD $462.7 million in 2024, growing to over $1 billion by 2030 at a 14.4% annual rate — all of this activity occurring outside the licensed domestic regulatory framework.
Live Dealer Casino
Live dealer is the fastest-growing segment of online casino globally, and Australian players represent a significant user base on offshore platforms. Live dealer games stream real-time footage of a human dealer operating a physical table — cards, roulette wheel, baccarat shoe — while players place bets through a digital interface. The appeal is authenticity: the results are determined by physical objects, not a random number generator, removing concern about software manipulation.
The major live dealer providers — Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play Live, and Playtech — supply games to most of the offshore platforms used by Australians. Live dealer blackjack, baccarat, roulette and game shows (such as Crazy Time and Dream Catcher) are the most popular formats. Baccarat consistently dominates live dealer revenue globally, particularly among Asian-origin players. Live casino games are forecast to expand at an 11.16% CAGR through 2030 across the Asia-Pacific region.
Online Pokies (Slots)
Online pokies — video slots — are the highest-volume product on offshore casino platforms used by Australians. Unlike land-based pokies, which are regulated by state governments and must meet strict technical standards, offshore online pokies operate under the rules of their licensing jurisdictions (typically Malta, Gibraltar, Curacao or Isle of Man), with varying return-to-player (RTP) rates and no domestic harm minimisation obligations.
RTPs on online pokies typically range from 92% to 97%, compared to around 85–90% for licensed Australian pub and club pokies. However, online pokies feature significantly more volatile game mathematics, with much higher maximum wins and more pronounced dry streaks — a design that research consistently links to higher harm rates in problem gamblers.
The major game developers — Aristocrat (Australia), IGT, Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and Pragmatic Play — supply content to both land-based and online casino operators worldwide. Aristocrat Leisure, headquartered in Sydney, is one of the world's largest EGM manufacturers and a major supplier to Australian casinos.
Crash Games
Crash games are a newer category of online casino product that has gained significant traction in the 2020s, particularly among younger players. The mechanic is simple: a multiplier increases from 1x upward, and the player must cash out before the multiplier "crashes" — typically at a random point. Games such as Aviator (Spribe) and JetX are the leading titles globally. The appeal is fast-paced, high-frequency gameplay with visible skill perception — players believe they can time their exit to maximise returns, though the outcome is determined by a provably fair random number generator.
Crash games are not available through any licensed Australian operator. They are exclusively offered via offshore platforms. Research into their harm profiles is limited but preliminary findings suggest the high-frequency, near-miss mechanic may be particularly engaging for at-risk gamblers. The Australian format for comparison is Keno — a similar concept of rapid-fire draws — though the mechanics and volatility differ substantially.
Online Roulette and Blackjack
Standard RNG (random number generator) versions of roulette and blackjack remain popular on offshore platforms, though live dealer variants have significantly displaced them for players seeking social interaction. RNG games offer faster play and the ability to set minimum bets very low — sometimes as low as $0.10 per hand — which makes them accessible to casual players but also enables rapid-fire session play that can escalate quickly. Multi-hand blackjack, where players compete on four to eight simultaneous hands, is a popular variant on offshore platforms.
Casino Revenue and Taxation
Casino taxation in Australia is set at the state level and varies by product type. Table games, pokies and VIP programs are each taxed at different rates, with additional levies for high-roller and VIP programs in some jurisdictions. The following table summarises key casino tax arrangements by state.
| State | Casino | Table Games Tax | EGM Tax | VIP / High-Roller | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Crown Melbourne | 21.25% of GGR | Various; max $100 bet from 2024 | Separate levy arrangements | VGCCC |
| New South Wales | Crown Sydney, The Star Sydney | Negotiated licence conditions | EGM monopoly held by Star until 2041 | High-roller rooms under supervision | L&GNSW / NICC |
| Queensland | The Star Brisbane, The Star Gold Coast | Licence-specific rates | Various; per EGM taxes apply | Under regulatory review | Office of Liquor and Gaming |
| Western Australia | Crown Perth | Licence-specific rates | Only state with casino-only EGMs | VIP program reinstated post-remediation | WA Gaming and Wagering Commission |
| South Australia | SkyCity Adelaide | Licence-specific rates | ~900 EGMs | Post-AUSTRAC fine restrictions | Consumer and Business Services |
| Northern Territory | SkyCity Darwin, Lasseters | 12% rate overall | Small market; high harm rate | Limited VIP operations | NT Racing Commission |
| Tasmania | Wrest Point, Hotel Grand Chancellor | Lower rate; small market | Card-based EGM reform underway | Minimal VIP activity | TLGC |
Sources: ICLG Gambling Laws 2026; state gaming regulator publications. Tax rates are indicative; actual arrangements vary by licence and product type.
Regulatory Scandals and Reform
The period from 2019 to 2025 has been the most turbulent in the history of Australian casino regulation. All three major operators have been found — through independent inquiries, royal commissions or court proceedings — to have facilitated money laundering, failed to prevent criminal infiltration of their VIP programs, and systematically breached responsible gambling obligations.
Regulatory fines and penalties on Australian casino operators, 2022–2025. Sources: AUSTRAC, VGCCC, NICC, Federal Court. Figures approximate where exact amounts are disclosed.
The key regulatory findings across the three operators share common themes: junket operators (agents who bring high-rollers from Asia) were allowed to facilitate betting with undisclosed sources of funds; casino cage transactions were used to obscure the movement of money; and responsible gambling obligations — staff training, exclusion orders, mandatory breaks — were routinely ignored in VIP areas to maximise revenue.
| Operator | Finding / Action | Penalty / Outcome | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Melbourne | Victorian Royal Commission — money laundering, criminal infiltration, responsible gambling failures | AUD $120M fine; special manager appointed; licence retained under 2-year review | 2021–23 |
| Crown Melbourne | VGCCC — illegally processing Chinese bank cards (AUD $164M in transactions) | AUD $80M fine | 2022 |
| Star Sydney | Bergin Inquiry — found unsuitable to hold NSW licence; criminal infiltration of VIP program | Licence suspended; independent manager appointed | 2022 |
| Star Entertainment | NICC — continued non-compliance with responsible gambling requirements | AUD $15M fine; additional reporting requirements | 2024 |
| SkyCity Adelaide | AUSTRAC — AML/CTF breaches; systemic failures in customer due diligence | AUD $67M Federal Court penalty | 2024 |
| Tabcorp / Crown | ACMA — Tabcorp fined for accepting online in-play sports bets illegally | AUD $158,000 penalty | 2026 |
Sources: AUSTRAC; VGCCC; NICC; ICLG Gambling Laws 2026; Crown Melbourne Wikipedia. AUSTRAC penalties total exceeds AUD $517M across Crown, SkyCity and Star from 2022–2025.
Online Lottery in Australia
Australia's lottery sector is one of the most profitable in the world on a per-capita basis, and unlike online casino gaming, it is fully legal — operated by licensed domestic entities under state and territory licences. The industry is dominated by The Lottery Corporation (ASX: TLC), which was demerged from Tabcorp in June 2022 and immediately listed on the ASX as a standalone entity.
The Lottery Corporation — FY2024 Highlights
For the year ended 30 June 2024, The Lottery Corporation reported group revenue of $4 billion — up 13.8% year-on-year — and EBITDA of $827 million. The result was driven in part by favourable jackpot sequences, most notably the record $200 million Powerball jackpot on 1 February 2024, which was shared by two ticket holders. Active registered customers reached a record 4.75 million — up 500,000 on the prior year.
The company generated $2.6 billion in stakeholder benefits: $1.9 billion in lottery and Keno taxes to state and territory governments, and $725 million in commissions to retail businesses. The Lottery Corporation operates through more than 7,200 retail distribution points nationally (excluding Western Australia, which is served by the government-owned Lotterywest).
Structure of the Australian Lottery Market
Australia's lottery market is regulated at the state level but operated largely on a national basis through two key organisations. The Lottery Corporation operates under The Lott brand and holds licences in all states and territories except Western Australia, encompassing former brands Tatts Group, NSW Lotteries, Golden Casket (Queensland) and SA Lotteries. Lotterywest is the Western Australian Government's own lottery operator, returning all profits to the community through grants.
Major lottery games operate through a cooperative arrangement known as the Australian Lotto Bloc, which pools entries and prize money across jurisdictions to generate larger jackpots than any single state could support. This is why a Victorian Powerball winner and a NSW Powerball winner draw from the same prize pool.
Major Lottery Games
Powerball
Australia's biggest jackpot lottery. Players select 7 numbers from 35 plus 1 Powerball from 20. Division 1 odds are 1 in 134.5 million. The record jackpot was AUD $200 million in February 2024, shared by two winners. Jackpots rollover weekly if no winner.
Oz Lotto
National lottery with 7 numbers selected from 47. Division 1 odds are 1 in 62.9 million. Notable jackpots include $100 million (2012, then the largest individual prize). The $90 million Boxing Day 2023 draw attracted record ticket sales.
Saturday Lotto (TattsLotto / Gold Lotto)
Australia's most widely played lottery by ticket volume. Players pick 6 numbers from 45. Also known as TattsLotto (VIC/TAS/NT), Gold Lotto (QLD) and X Lotto (SA). Division 1 guarantees a minimum $5 million jackpot. Most accessible mass-market lottery product.
Weekday Windfall (Mon/Wed Lotto)
Smaller guaranteed jackpot draws on Monday and Wednesday. Prize pools are fixed at $1 million per draw, making them particularly accessible. Popular with regular lottery buyers who play every week rather than waiting for jackpot runs.
Instant Scratch-Its
Scratch card products available in retail and online. Tickets range from $1 to $30, with varying prize structures. The instant gratification mechanic drives high impulse purchase rates. Online scratch cards on The Lott's digital platform have grown significantly since 2020.
Keno
A fast-draw lottery format available in venues (pubs, clubs, cafes) and online. Players select between 1 and 20 numbers from 1–80; draws happen every few minutes. Keno is the highest-frequency lottery product in Australia and, per-draw, carries relatively high house edges. The Lottery Corporation reported Keno revenue of $288.1 million in FY24.
The Online Shift in Lotteries
The transition to digital lottery sales has been one of the more significant structural changes in Australian gambling over the past decade. Statista projects the Australian online lottery market to reach USD $386.4 million in 2024, growing to $482.9 million by 2029. The Lottery Corporation's own digital channel now accounts for a growing share of ticket sales, driven by the convenience of mobile apps and the viral nature of large jackpot events.
Online lottery platforms such as OzLotteries.com (operated by Jumbo Interactive, Brisbane) serve as authorised resellers, purchasing official tickets on behalf of customers and handling prize notifications. These platforms have been instrumental in bringing lottery participation to younger demographics who would not visit a newsagent. The reseller model is legal and fully licensed — these operators buy physical tickets and hold them in trust, earning a commission on sales.
A new class of fixed-payout lottery games has also emerged. In July 2024, 4D Lotto launched Australia's first fixed-payout lottery product, licensed by the Northern Territory government. The game offers draws every five minutes via a mobile app — a hybrid between traditional lottery and fast-draw Keno — targeting a younger audience comfortable with frequent, small-stakes digital play.
Casino and Lottery Data by State
Casino regulation, EGM policies and lottery tax arrangements vary significantly between Australian jurisdictions. Select a state below for detailed casino and gambling data for that jurisdiction.
