Offshore Bet Brokers legal in Australia?

[coolguy73739]

Hi Friends, any Aussie member on this forum who can suggest if Offshore Bet Brokers like Sportmarket are legal in Australia for citizens and Residents. As you all know, Offshore Bookmakers like Pinnacle are totally banned from taking any bet from Aussie customers..
I expect some feed back from Optional here.

[Optional]

As far as I understand it, if they are not licensed here then they are trading illegally if they promote betting services to Aussies. They used to be able to skirt the licensing rules by only taking people who approached them, but that may have changed.

Bettors are breaking no laws by using any broker or book who will accept them though.

[coolguy73739]

Thanks for your message but it's not clear whether they can or they cannot.
I'm sure none of the Brokers are licensed in Australia.
Not sure whether I should deposit and play with Sportmarket as an Australian resident.
Not sure what's the best Book after Pinnacle departed from Aus.
Betfair has just one Market for tomorrow's CBB game, total crap..
Do you know why BF don't have market for all of CBB games?
Im worried TAB and Palmerbet might limit winners..
What's your best take on Australian Bookmakers who will not limit me in Australia..
Would appreciate your feedback Opti and Thanks in advance..

[Alfie White]

Why don't you use Crypto with agents? That + VPN should be straightforward, unless you plan to earn 6 figures and have no means to account for those profits with the tax office.

[coolguy73739]

Why don't you use Crypto with agents? That + VPN should be straightforward, unless you plan to earn 6 figures and have no means to account for those profits with the tax office.

Is it legal to bet that way in Aus? Which Agents? Could you pls elaborate? Thanks..

[Alfie White]

Getting advice like that from random person on the internet is not a smart thing to do, nobody but lawyer in your country can say if something is legal or not.

I cannot give you direct advice more than I already have above. I don't know how and if Crypto is taxed in AUS, what exchanges are there and what are their policies for trading (if you need to provide where from you got crypto), can you circumvent that with LocalBitcoints (HUGE fees) etc etc.

You need to do some of your own research, only thing I can do is advise is:
- Get account with crypto exchange, get verified, fund the account, buy crypto, send crypto to hot-wallet (blockchain).
- Register with some well known brokers (Sportmarket, Betinasia; rest are dog water).
- Cash-out winnings to hot-wallet, then send them back to exchange, then exchange to AUD and get back to your bank.

How banks will treat that transfer, how exchange will treat the cash-out and if more documentation would be required - I can't know, I can't tell with any level of certainty, you have to do some read-up for yourself.

[coolguy73739]

Getting advice like that from random person on the internet is not a smart thing to do, nobody but lawyer in your country can say if something is legal or not.

I cannot give you direct advice more than I already have above. I don't know how and if Crypto is taxed in AUS, what exchanges are there and what are their policies for trading (if you need to provide where from you got crypto), can you circumvent that with LocalBitcoints (HUGE fees) etc etc.

You need to do some of your own research, only thing I can do is advise is:
- Get account with crypto exchange, get verified, fund the account, buy crypto, send crypto to hot-wallet (blockchain).
- Register with some well known brokers (Sportmarket, Betinasia; rest are dog water).
- Cash-out winnings to hot-wallet, then send them back to exchange, then exchange to AUD and get back to your bank.

How banks will treat that transfer, how exchange will treat the cash-out and if more documentation would be required - I can't know, I can't tell with any level of certainty, you have to do some read-up for yourself.

Thank you so much. I will do my own research and find out the rest. Much Appreciated!!

[Optional]

Thanks for your message but it's not clear whether they can or they cannot.
I'm sure none of the Brokers are licensed in Australia.
Not sure whether I should deposit and play with Sportmarket as an Australian resident.
Not sure what's the best Book after Pinnacle departed from Aus.
Betfair has just one Market for tomorrow's CBB game, total crap..
Do you know why BF don't have market for all of CBB games?
Im worried TAB and Palmerbet might limit winners..
What's your best take on Australian Bookmakers who will not limit me in Australia..
Would appreciate your feedback Opti and Thanks in advance..

Yes we have been squeezed out of most good options.

For some reason many books seem to respect Aussie rules when they do not really appear to have to.

Betfair is awful for anything non mainstream in Europe/Australia.

Personally, if I badly wanted Pinnacle again, I would be happy to risk using Sportsmarket or Asianconenct88 as long as i could tell them I am Australian and assured they were happy to take me. I'd have no concern that I was doing anything illegal. I'd just want to know for sure that they would not penalize me.


I haven't got any Aussie books left that have not limited me or removed most bonuses. Use Sportsbet, Unibet and Bet365 the most but my #1 want is wide motorsport coverage rather than high limits.

[coolguy73739]

Yes we have been squeezed out of most good options.

For some reason many books seem to respect Aussie rules when they do not really appear to have to.

Betfair is awful for anything non mainstream in Europe/Australia.

Personally, if I badly wanted Pinnacle again, I would be happy to risk using Sportsmarket or Asianconenct88 as long as i could tell them I am Australian and assured they were happy to take me. I'd have no concern that I was doing anything illegal. I'd just want to know for sure that they would not penalize me.


I haven't got any Aussie books left that have not limited me or removed most bonuses. Use Sportsbet, Unibet and Bet365 the most but my #1 want is wide motorsport coverage rather than high limits.

Thanks for your thoughts and time taken in replying. Appreciate it Opti.
I am/was quite hopeful that Betfair exchange would be my LAST RESORT if all bookies fail to entertain but to my despair BF Exchange has no place for CBB it seems, which is quite shocking to say the least.
One last thing, will income earned through Bet Brokers in Australia will be taxed? My understanding is Betting win amount is not taxable in Australia but that might be income earned from Licensed bookmakers, I am not sure.. Pls.. Thanks..

[Optional]

No tax reporting for normal bettors in Australia.

I think if it is your primary income it may be different. But you can ask the ATO help line questions like that if you need to know. Good service.

[coolguy73739]

No tax reporting for normal bettors in Australia.

I think if it is your primary income it may be different. But you can ask the ATO help line questions like that if you need to know. Good service.

If income is coming through an offshore Broker then there could be issue, Lets see.. Thanks..

[Optional]

If income is coming through an offshore Broker then there could be issue, Lets see.. Thanks..

https://community.ato.gov.au/s/question/a0J9s0000001DOnEAM/p00027812

[coolguy73739]

Some bet Brokers let Australians open account. The issue comes during withdrawal as direct bank deposit not allowed by broker to your account. Only option is EMI Electronic money institution but not sure any EMI allowing deposit from international remittance in Australia.
Thoughts?

[Optional]

Some bet Brokers let Australians open account. The issue comes during withdrawal as direct bank deposit not allowed by broker to your account. Only option is EMI Electronic money institution but not sure any EMI allowing deposit from international remittance in Australia.
Thoughts?

I don't really know what an EMI is. Like an international wire?

[coolguy73739]

Yes EMI are like banks but don't work purely like banks but can transfer your money in seconds in form of digital money.

I tried to enquire through various EMIs like Revolut, Paysend, N26, Blackcat card, CurrencyFair, Currencycloud but they all refused to allow inward international remittance to my account in Australia.
Sportmarket keeps saying that their Australian customers are using EMI without any issues for withdrawal and then depositing in their Australian EMI account.
Not sure how they are doing it.
My research is ON on this issue.
Any input will be highly appreciated.
Hope you are doing well Opti. Cheers

[Optional]

I'd only be guessing Coolguy.

Hopefully another Aussie who is doing this will happen along with some useful info soon.

[coolguy73739]

Thanks , Yes I'm hoping some Aussie will bail me out on this issue. Cheers

[Griip76]

Did you get an answer on this coolguy? pm me if you still need some help.

[coolguy73739]

No I haven't got any answer yet. Still looking

[povis]

Best is to ask other Aussie gamblers I would advice you to look into bigger Australian betting forums if there is or ask here, try to ask reputable people with experience, preferably the ones who bet large amounts how they being treated by brokers. The way brokers act can be very different from country to country.