Is VPN Illegal in Australia?
Many Australian users know that according to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, online gambling activity inside Australia is prohibited. However, there are multiple offshore online casino on the Internet, which are not registered in Australia. Therefore, question whether VPN is illegal might arise.
Is It Illegal to Gamble at Online Casinos?
Using VPN for gambling is not illegal in Austria, but it is not safe for gamblers. The thing is, every reputable gambling site must comply with the AML regulations, part of which is KYC. The KYC procedure requires gamblers to confirm their identity and residency. If your place of living is not the same as your VPN address, you are likely to be denied paying out. The casino will not allow you to withdraw your winnings, and as a result, you will be left with a highly unpleasant gambling experience.
What Can You Do If Casino Denied Withdrawal?
Using a VPN at an online casino violates its regulations. Therefore, it is unlikely you will be able to receive your winnings. However, you can still try out some tips:
If you managed to do so, you have many more chances to successfully get your payout.
Note that if it is stated in the terms & Conditions of the casino that you cannot use VPN, customer support probably won’t be able to help you.
They might find a way for you to receive your money. However, make sure that it is worth it, as the bill for a lawyer’s service might end up being higher than the winnings you’re fighting for.
Once again, the consequences of using a VPN are solely your responsibility. As it is often strictly prohibited at online casinos, they have the right to take away your winnings and ban your account for violation of their T&Cs.
Offshore Casinos for Aussies
Now, let’s get acquainted with the term offshore casinos. These casinos are basically every casino you play online! Offshore casinos are the ones registered and licensed outside our motherland, Australia. Therefore, you are probably only faced with and tried out many of them. However, some of them do not let players gamble from Australia, and so players might decide to use a VPN to sign up on the site.
The Australian government does not control offshore casinos. What’s more, as stated on our Gambling Laws page, there are no regulations on offshore casinos in Australian gambling legislation. From that, we can make a simple conclusion – offshore casinos are in the grey zone of law, which means you cannot be punished for gambling there.
However, many offshore casinos allow Aussies to gamble at their sites. When deciding where to gamble, the BetPokies team highly recommends you choose exactly these types of casinos, or else you will have to use a VPN to register on the chosen website.
Why Do You Need to Choose an Aussie-Friendly Online Casino?
The Internet is full of big, appealing, and reliable online casinos, but not all of them are available for Aussie gamblers. Therefore, there's always a temptation to use a VPN and try such casinos. Here is a list of reasons why you should not do it and prefer Aussie-friendly casinos instead:
- Casinos that accept Australians usually allow deposits in AUD
- Promotions can be specifically designed for Australians
- Such casinos offer payment methods common to us, for example, PayID
- Payouts are quicker and safer in allowed countries
- The verification process goes smoothly if you use an Aussie-friendly casino
How to Choose an Aussie-Friendly Online Casino?
There is a list of factors you should check before registering at an online casino.
- Check whether Australia is among the allowed countries
- Check the licence by pasting the unique number on the authority's website
- The platform should be certified by unbiased bodies (eCOGRA, iTechLabs)
- Check other players’ reviews
However, if you don’t want to waste your time on all these steps, you can find numerous reliable online casinos on our website. The BetPokies team of experts conducts research about each of the recommended sites to provide you with the best experience. You can learn more about our principles when reviewing gambling sites on our How We Rate Casinos page.
John Gold
Editor-in-chief
Starting as a typical gambler, I was interested in how the industry works. And now, for more than 10 years, I see myself as a gambling expert. After trying out more than 500 pokies, I'm ready to share my insights and tell you what you need to look at to get a good gaming experience.