How Old Do You Have to Be to Gamble in Australia?

How old do you have to be to gamble in Australia?

The legal gambling age in Australia depends on the activity rather than one universal rule. For ordinary sports and race wagering, casino games and electronic gaming machines, the practical answer is 18 or older.

Other activities are regulated differently. A public lottery, a community fundraising raffle and a game of bingo may each have their own eligibility requirements. The rules for buying or selling a ticket may also differ from the rules for claiming a prize.

Use the following as a starting point, then check the relevant state or territory rules and the conditions of the particular game.

• Ordinary wagering, casino games and pokies: generally 18 or older.
• Lotteries and community games: check the product and local rules; some permit people under 18.
• Venue entry: check separately, because access to a building does not necessarily include access to a gaming area.

Gambling age by state and territory

The following are selected rules and examples, not a complete list of gambling activities in each jurisdiction. The named official sources are included at the end of this article.

A rule that allows a minor to buy a raffle ticket does not automatically allow them to enter a gaming floor. Equally, an age limit for wagering should not be assumed to apply to every fundraising game.

• Australian Capital Territory: Permitted private gaming is subject to restrictions, including a requirement that participants be at least 18. This is not a general rule for all community raffles. See the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission’s unlawful gambling guidance.
• New South Wales: Minors are excluded from public lotteries, but children can participate in community lotteries unless the lottery’s own rules impose an age limit. See NSW public and community lottery guidance.
• Northern Territory: Under-18s cannot play gaming machines. Access to declared gambling areas is a separate issue. See the NT Gaming Machine Act.
• Queensland: A minor cannot participate in approved wagering, and a minor’s bet cannot be accepted. See section 227 of the Queensland Wagering Act.
• South Australia: Minors cannot enter or remain in a gaming area or operate gaming machines. See the state’s information for parents of minors.
• Tasmania: A bookmaker cannot accept a minor’s bet. Tasmanian law also addresses adults placing bets on a minor’s behalf. See section 169 of the Racing and Wagering Act.
• Victoria: Under-18s cannot enter the gaming floor, but regulator guidance says minors may buy and sell raffle tickets. These are different activities governed by different rules.
• Western Australia: Lotterywest games are 16 and over. Standard raffles and permitted bingo have different rules, including restrictions for under-12s.

Casinos and pokies: participation and access

You generally need to be 18 to play casino games or use pokies in Australia. For example, the Northern Territory’s Gaming Machine Act specifically addresses people under 18 playing gaming machines.

Being allowed to participate and being allowed into a particular area are separate questions. In Victoria, under-18s cannot enter the gaming floor. A person who is too young to enter cannot avoid that restriction simply by saying they do not intend to play.

That does not mean every part of a casino resort, club or hotel is automatically closed to minors. A restaurant, hotel or entertainment area may have different access rules, depending on local law, the venue’s layout and its own policies.

Lotteries, scratchies, raffles and bingo

The word lottery covers more than one type of game. A public lottery or shop-sold scratch ticket is not necessarily governed by the same age rules as a community raffle run to raise funds.

In Western Australia, Lotterywest sets a minimum age of 16 for its games, including Scratch’n’Win. That is a product-specific rule, not a national age limit for scratchies. In NSW, public lotteries exclude minors, while children can participate in community lotteries unless the particular lottery’s rules set an age limit.

Victoria’s fundraising guidance says minors may buy and sell raffle tickets. In WA, the rules for standard lotteries say children under 12 cannot buy or sell tickets. If liquor is offered as a prize in one of those standard raffles, people under 18 cannot buy or sell its tickets.

Bingo can be different again: WA’s rules for permitted bingo exclude children under 12. Do not assume that this age applies to bingo everywhere, or to every form of raffle.

For example, a 16-year-old considering a Lotterywest game should check that product’s conditions. The same person considering a NSW community raffle should check the raffle’s own eligibility rules. Buying a ticket, selling it, receiving it as a gift and claiming a prize are distinct questions; permission for one does not automatically settle the others.

Sports betting and online gambling

Wagering means placing a bet on an event, such as a sporting match or a horse race. The general minimum age for ordinary authorised sports and race betting is 18, whether the bet is placed in person or through an online account.

An adult’s account should not be treated as a way around an age limit. Queensland law prohibits a minor’s participation in approved wagering, and Tasmanian law expressly addresses adults placing bets on a minor’s behalf.

The online gambling age in Australia also depends on the product. Ordinary online wagering is generally 18 and over, but Lotterywest has a 16-plus age requirement for its games. Online membership has separate identity and Western Australian residential eligibility checks, so the age rule alone does not mean every 16-year-old in Australia can register.

Age is only one part of the online question. The Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, identifies online casinos and online in-play sports betting among services prohibited from being offered to people in Australia. Being 18 or older does not make a prohibited online product legal.

Buying a lottery entry is also different from betting on the outcome of a lottery. Check the provider and the specific product, rather than assuming that every service offered under a familiar brand is permitted. ACMA’s provider register is a tool for checking licensed interactive wagering providers; it is not a complete list of community raffles.

How age verification for gambling works

Age verification for gambling may involve checking personal details, identity evidence or electronic records. The process depends on the service and applicable rules. Providers do not necessarily accept the same documents, and not every customer must show ID for every transaction.

For applicable online gambling services, AUSTRAC says customer identification procedures must be completed before an account is created or a designated service begins. Providers must not supply the service until they are reasonably satisfied of the customer’s identity. If required checks cannot be completed, the relevant service cannot begin until they are satisfied.

Lotterywest says it checks membership applicants’ identity, age and WA residential eligibility. A provider may ask for further evidence if it cannot complete its checks using the details supplied.

In person, an operator may request proof of age before allowing entry or supplying a product. Victorian guidance requires gambling operators to check identification for patrons who look under 25; that appearance-based threshold should not be assumed to apply nationally.

Consequences also depend on the law and activity. For example, South Australian guidance says a minor who operates a gaming machine is not entitled to the winnings. That specific rule should not be treated as the outcome for every underage transaction in Australia.

Can a minor enter a gambling venue?

The key question is which part of the venue the minor wants to enter. A pub, club or resort may contain both restricted gaming areas and other areas with different conditions.

In South Australia, a minor cannot enter or remain in a gaming area, even to walk through it to reach a dining area or toilets. Victoria also excludes under-18s from the gaming floor. Being accompanied by a parent does not automatically override a gaming-area restriction.

In NSW, minors may enter registered clubs under specified conditions, including responsible-adult supervision and club rules. That does not remove separate restrictions applying to gaming areas. Liquor laws and venue policies can also affect access.

Before visiting with children, ask the venue which areas they can enter and whether there is a route to the restaurant or other destination that avoids any restricted gaming area. Do not assume that access to one part of the building guarantees access to another.

Where to check the rules and find support

Rules and operator conditions can change. If your situation is not covered by the examples above, contact the regulator in the relevant state or territory and identify the exact game, product or venue area. The official sources listed below are a starting point, not a substitute for checking current conditions.

Support is available both to people concerned about their own gambling and to family members or others affected by it.

• Check local law: Use the relevant state or territory source and ask the organiser or regulator about unclear raffle, bingo or prize-claim conditions.
• Check an online wagering provider: Use ACMA’s provider register and check whether the particular product can be offered in Australia.
• Talk to someone: Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support. Call 1800 858 858 at any time, 24 hours a day, across Australia.
• Consider self-exclusion: BetStop is free and covers all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers, for a period from three months up to a lifetime. It does not cover every physical venue, lottery or illegal online casino; ask about separate exclusion schemes where relevant.

FAQ

Can a 16-year-old gamble online in Australia?

Ordinary online wagering is generally restricted to people aged 18 and over. Lotterywest is a different example: its games have a minimum age of 16, but online membership also requires identity checks and WA residential eligibility. A 16-year-old should check both the product and membership conditions rather than assuming that age alone is enough.

Do you need ID to gamble in Australia?

Not necessarily for every ticket or transaction, but an operator may ask for identification. Applicable online customer identification procedures must be completed before an account is created or a designated service begins. In-person checks and accepted evidence vary by provider and jurisdiction.

Can under-18s buy scratchies or raffle tickets?

Sometimes, depending on the product and location. Lotterywest games, including Scratch’n’Win, have a 16-plus age rule. In NSW, children can participate in community lotteries unless the lottery’s rules impose an age limit, while public lotteries have a separate exclusion for minors. Check the game conditions before buying.

Can a minor claim a gambling prize?

There is no single answer for every product. Purchase, gift and prize-claim conditions can differ, as can the applicable law. For example, The Lott’s responsible play brochure states an 18-plus purchase and prize-claim rule for its games. Check the particular game’s conditions and ask the operator or regulator if eligibility is unclear.

Can a child enter a casino, club or pub with a parent?

Not necessarily, and a parent’s presence does not automatically permit entry to a restricted gaming area. South Australia, for example, bars minors from entering a gaming area even to pass through to a dining area. Other parts of a venue may have different rules, so ask the venue and check local requirements before visiting.

Are social casino games subject to the same age rules?

Not automatically. A simulated game’s legal treatment depends on its features, and classification is separate from rules governing gambling services. From 22 September 2024, computer games containing simulated gambling have a minimum R 18+ classification. Games with paid purchases involving an element of chance, such as paid loot boxes, have a minimum M classification, meaning they are not recommended for children under 15.

Can an adult place a bet for someone under 18?

Do not assume that an adult submitting the bet makes underage participation permissible. Tasmanian legislation expressly addresses adults placing bets on a minor’s behalf. An adult’s wagering account should not be used as a workaround for an operator’s age checks; check the law and provider’s conditions for the relevant jurisdiction.