# Prediction markets in Australia (2026): the legal alternatives

> Betfair is the best legal alternative to a prediction market in Australia in 2026: it's the country's only licensed betting exchange, where you back or lay elections and other events against other punters, for a published commission on your net winnings (6% on sport). bet365 ties on score, with the most detailed Australian election markets we found and 24/7 support, and Bet Right's InfoMarket looks most like Polymarket, with yes/no prices in cents, though each trade is a bet with the bookmaker. All five are licensed in the Northern Territory and on ACMA's register.

- URL: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/
- Markdown version: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/index.html.md
- Last updated: 2026-10-25 (re-checked when an operator changes its terms or a regulator or court acts)
- Author: SafeBet.ai Research Team (SafeBet.ai)
- How we rank: facts from regulators' registers, official texts and the operators' own pages (see Sources); scores are SafeBet.ai's editorial ratings — https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/how-we-rank/index.html.md
- Notice: Advertising. SafeBet.ai may be paid by the operators shown when you register through our links. We only link to betting services on ACMA’s register of licensed providers. 18+ only. Online casinos and prediction markets aren’t legal in Australia, and we don’t link to any.
- Statutory warning: Chances are you’re about to lose. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
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Prediction markets such as Polymarket aren't legal in Australia: none holds an Australian licence, and ACMA has internet providers block polymarket.com. What is legal is betting on elections, awards and other events the regulators approve, with a licensed bookmaker or the Betfair exchange. We ranked five licensed event betting sites, Betfair, bet365, PointsBet, Sportsbet and Bet Right's InfoMarket, on licensing, event markets, pricing, payments, apps and support, as of October 25, 2026. We don't list bonuses.

## Our top 5 (October 2026)

1. **[Betfair](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/)** — Closest to a prediction market (8.5/10): Australia's only licensed betting exchange: back or lay elections, awards and sport against other punters, at prices they set, for a published commission on your net winnings instead of a bookmaker's margin.
2. **[bet365](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/)** — Most detailed election markets (8.5/10): The most detailed rules for betting on Australian elections we found, from seat totals and two-party preferred vote share to a hung parliament, plus specials on Eurovision and the weather, with 24/7 chat and phone support.
3. **[PointsBet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/pointsbet-review/)** — Quick withdrawals (7.8/10): Published rules for betting on elections, US and UK politics, entertainment and novelty events, withdrawals that usually arrive within 30 minutes, and support by chat and phone 24/7.
4. **[Sportsbet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/sportsbet-review/)** — Most-rated app (7.6/10): Full published rules for elections, Australian, UK and US politics and novelty markets, from awards to the weather, in the app with the most ratings in our ranking, but with the heaviest regulatory record of the five.
5. **[Bet Right](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betright-review/)** — Yes/no prices in cents (7.2/10): A new, licensed product that looks like a prediction market: outcomes priced from 1c to 99c in an exchange-style screen, where you can buy and sell. Legally, every trade is a fixed-odds bet with Bet Right.

## Comparison

| # | Event betting site | Score | Licence | Type | Event markets | Commission or margin | Payments | Apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Betfair](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/) | 8.5/10 | Betfair Pty Ltd, NT betting exchange licence | Betting exchange: back or lay against other punters | Elections and politics, awards, sport and racing | Commission on net winnings: 6% on sport (politics rate not published) | Debit card ($10), PayPal ($15), Osko/PayID ($30) | iOS 4.5 · Android 4.2 |
| 2 | [bet365](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/) | 8.5/10 | Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd, NT | Bookmaker (fixed odds) | Australian, UK and US elections; Eurovision, weather and TV specials | Margin built into the odds (not published) | Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay ($5), PayID, PayPal; withdrawals 1–4 hours | iOS 4.7 · Android 4.6 |
| 3 | [PointsBet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/pointsbet-review/) | 7.8/10 | Pointsbet Australia Pty Ltd, NT | Bookmaker (fixed odds) | Elections, US and UK/European politics, entertainment and novelty | Margin built into the odds (not published) | Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayID, PayTo ($5); withdrawals usually within 30 min | iOS 4.6 · Android 3.3 |
| 4 | [Sportsbet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/sportsbet-review/) | 7.6/10 | Sportsbet Pty Ltd, NT | Bookmaker (fixed odds) | Elections, Australian, UK and US politics, novelty and awards | Margin built into the odds (not published) | Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayID, PayPal ($5), BPAY | iOS 4.6 · Android 3.1 |
| 5 | [Bet Right](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betright-review/) | 7.2/10 | IRPSX Pty Ltd (Bet Right), NT | Bookmaker with exchange-style yes/no prices (InfoMarket) | Sport, Bitcoin and Ethereum prices, politics where approved | Prices in cents (1c–99c), margin included (not published) | Not verified (its sites blocked us) | iOS 4.7 · Android 4.7 (Bet Right app) |

## 1. Betfair — Closest to a prediction market

Score: 8.5/10 · [Full review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/) · [Alternatives](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-alternatives/)

Betfair Pty Ltd has held a Northern Territory betting exchange licence since September 2016, and the NT Wagering Commission's 2025–26 annual report counts a single betting exchange brand. You bet against other punters, backing or laying at prices they set, and Betfair charges a commission on your net winnings in each market instead of building a margin into the odds: 6% on sport and international racing, 10% on NRL, 8% or 10% on Australian racing. It runs politics markets, from US presidential elections to state races, settled under published rules. Deposits start at $10 by debit card, and its iOS app is rated 4.54 from 6,491 ratings.

**Pros:** The only licensed betting exchange in Australia: you bet against other punters, at prices they set; A published commission on net winnings instead of a built-in margin, and nothing to pay on a market you lose; Deep politics markets, from US election winners to state races and electoral college handicaps; You can lay an outcome, betting that it won't happen, which a bookmaker doesn't offer; Free deposits and withdrawals.

**Cons:** Commission rose to 6% on sport on March 25, 2025, and Betfair doesn't publish a separate rate for politics markets; Two NT fines in June 2024 for missing problem-gambling red flags; In-play sports bets are by phone only, with a $50 minimum; Osko/PayID deposits start at $30, and Australian cards can't be used for withdrawals.

## 2. bet365 — Most detailed election markets

Score: 8.5/10 · [Full review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/) · [Alternatives](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-alternatives/)

bet365 is run in Australia by Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Limited under a Northern Territory licence. Its published politics rules are the most detailed we found: Australian federal, state and territory elections, with markets on the outright winner, total seats for Labor and the Coalition, two-party preferred vote share, seat handicaps settled on the AEC's Declaration of Poll, individual seats and a hung parliament, plus UK and US elections and specials from Eurovision to the hottest capital on Christmas Day. Election bets are singles only. Deposits start at $5, withdrawals are quoted at 1 to 4 hours, and its iOS app is rated 4.65 from 67,603 ratings.

**Pros:** The most detailed Australian election rules we found, from seat totals to a hung parliament; Specials beyond politics: Eurovision, weather and reality TV; Chat and phone support 24 hours a day; Withdrawals quoted at 1 to 4 hours, with no daily maximum; Apps rated 4.65 on iOS and 4.6 on Google Play.

**Cons:** A bookmaker: you bet at its odds, with an unpublished margin, and can't lay an outcome; Election bets are singles only; An AUSTRAC enforceable undertaking on its anti-money-laundering systems; A $5 monthly fee on accounts left inactive for more than a year.

## 3. PointsBet — Quick withdrawals

Score: 7.8/10 · [Full review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/pointsbet-review/) · [Alternatives](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/pointsbet-alternatives/)

PointsBet is run by PointsBet Australia Pty Limited under a Northern Territory licence. Its betting rules cover elections, US and UK/European politics, and entertainment and novelty markets such as awards ceremonies, with next-leader markets offered on an all-in, run-or-not basis. You deposit from $5 by debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayID or PayTo, and PointsBet says most withdrawals reach your bank within 30 minutes. Support runs 24/7 by chat and phone. In May 2025 ACMA made it pay a $500,800 penalty for sending 508 marketing messages to self-excluded people, and accepted enforceable undertakings. Its iOS app is rated 4.56 from 14,650 ratings.

**Pros:** Most withdrawals reach your bank within 30 minutes; Published rules for elections, politics, entertainment and novelty markets; Support by chat and phone 24 hours a day; Deposits from $5 by PayID and PayTo, credited in about a minute.

**Cons:** A $500,800 ACMA spam penalty in 2025 over messages to self-excluded people; Three Northern Territory fines since 2023 over how it dealt with individual customers; A bookmaker: you bet at its odds, with an unpublished margin; Its Android app is rated only 3.3 on Google Play.

## 4. Sportsbet — Most-rated app

Score: 7.6/10 · [Full review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/sportsbet-review/) · [Alternatives](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/sportsbet-alternatives/)

Sportsbet Pty Ltd is licensed by the Northern Territory. Its Sports and Novelties rules cover elections, Australian, UK and European, and US politics, and novelty markets in entertainment, current affairs, weather, music, Hollywood and pageants; the Northern Territory has confirmed it offered a 2022 US Senate market. It's a bookmaker, so you bet at its odds. Deposits start at $5 by debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayID or PayPal, and its iOS app is rated 4.62 from 184,991 ratings. Its record is the heaviest of our five: a $2.5 million ACMA spam penalty in 2022 and Northern Territory fines of $92,500 and $313,140 in 2025.

**Pros:** Full published rules for elections and Australian, UK and US politics; Novelty markets from awards and entertainment to the weather; Its iOS app has the most ratings in our ranking: 4.62 from 184,991; Deposits from $5, and fast bank withdrawals within a few hours.

**Cons:** The heaviest regulatory record in our ranking, including $405,640 in NT fines in 2025; Live chat runs 6am to midnight AEST, not around the clock; A bookmaker: you bet at its odds, with an unpublished margin; Its Android app is rated only 3.1.

## 5. Bet Right — Yes/no prices in cents

Score: 7.2/10 · [Full review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betright-review/) · [Alternatives](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betright-alternatives/)

InfoMarket is a sub-brand of Bet Right, run by IRPSX Pty Ltd under a Northern Territory licence, and both its sites are on ACMA's register. It shows prices in cents, from 1c to 99c, the market-implied probability of an outcome, in an exchange-style screen where you can buy and sell positions, from 25 cents. Legally, each trade is a fixed-odds bet with Bet Right at margin-inclusive prices. Its rules cover NFL, NBA, EPL, NHL, AFL and NRL, politics where a regulator approves it, and Bitcoin and Ethereum price markets. Its rules were first published on August 17, 2026, and its sites blocked us, so we couldn't check payments or support.

**Pros:** Prices shown in cents, as a market-implied probability, the nearest look to Polymarket you'll find legally; You can sell a position before the result, through a cash out; Licensed by the Northern Territory, with both its sites on ACMA's register; Trades from 25 cents.

**Cons:** Not a market between punters: every trade is a bet against Bet Right, at prices that include its margin; New: its rules were first published on August 17, 2026; We couldn't check its live markets, payments or support, because its sites blocked us; Politics only where a regulator approves it.

## Best for…

- **Best overall:** Betfair — Australia's only licensed betting exchange: back or lay elections and other events at prices other punters set, for a published commission on net winnings.
- **Australian elections:** bet365 — Rules for seat totals, two-party preferred vote share, seat handicaps and a hung parliament, settled on AEC results, with chat and phone support 24/7.
- **Fast withdrawals:** PointsBet — Most withdrawals reach your bank within 30 minutes, with published politics and novelty rules and support around the clock.
- **Novelty markets:** Sportsbet — Rules for entertainment, current affairs, weather, music and Hollywood markets alongside elections, in the app with the most ratings in our ranking.
- **The prediction-market look:** Bet Right — InfoMarket prices outcomes from 1c to 99c in an exchange-style screen where you can buy and sell; legally each trade is a bet with Bet Right.

## How we rank

- **Licensing & safety (25%):** Is it on ACMA’s register of licensed providers, which regulator licensed it, and how clean is its record?
- **Event markets (25%):** How many elections, politics, awards and economic events can you bet on, and how clear are its rules for settling them?
- **Commission & pricing (15%):** How much does a bet cost you: an exchange’s published commission, or a bookmaker’s margin, and how openly is it shown?
- **Payments & payouts (10%):** Which Australian payment methods does it take, what are the minimums and fees, and how fast are withdrawals?
- **App & experience (15%):** How do Australian users rate its apps, and how easy is it to find and follow an event market?
- **Support & responsible gambling (10%):** Can you reach a person easily, and are deposit limits, activity statements and BetStop easy to find?

## Why there are no prediction markets in Australia

Prediction markets such as Polymarket let you buy yes/no contracts on events, from elections to interest rates. Online betting on events is legal in Australia only with a provider licensed by a state or territory: providing it to people here without one breaches the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and each day is a separate contravention, with a civil penalty of up to 7,500 penalty units. No prediction market holds such a licence. ACMA, the federal regulator, has internet providers block illegal gambling sites, and polymarket.com was among the 1,810 addresses on its blocked list on October 25, 2026. Polymarket itself lists Australia among the countries it completely restricts.

The Act exempts contracts that are financial products under the Corporations Act, but that's no easy way in either: ASIC has banned selling binary options, yes/no contracts on prices, rates, indices, commodities and crypto, to retail clients until October 1, 2031, and it hasn't published anything on prediction markets. From January 1, 2027, under the Gambling Reform Act 2026, banks and payment providers will also have to block payments, crypto included, to designated illegal gambling services.

What is legal is betting on events through a licensed provider. Our guide to [whether prediction markets are legal in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/guides/are-prediction-markets-legal-in-australia/) explains the rules, and [is Polymarket legal in Australia?](https://safebet.ai/au/guides/is-polymarket-legal-in-australia/) covers Polymarket in detail.

## How legal event betting works

There are two ways to bet on an event legally in Australia.

- **The Betfair exchange.** You bet against other punters, not Betfair. You can **back** an outcome, betting that it happens, or **lay** it, betting that it doesn't, at prices other punters set, and Betfair charges a commission on your net winnings in each market. It's the closest thing to a prediction market the law allows: the Northern Territory's 2025–26 annual report counts a single betting exchange brand, and Betfair calls itself Australia's only online betting exchange.
- **Licensed bookmakers.** You bet at the bookmaker's fixed odds, which include its margin. bet365, PointsBet and Sportsbet publish rules for elections, politics and novelty markets. Bet Right's InfoMarket shows its prices in cents, from 1c to 99c, in an exchange-style screen where you can buy and sell, but legally each trade is a bet with Bet Right.

Laying means you can lose more than you stand to win. Lay $10 at odds of 5.0 and you win $10, less commission, if the outcome doesn't happen, but lose $40 if it does: that $40 is your **liability**. To compare a prediction-market price with odds, divide 100 by the price in cents: 25c is odds of 4.0.

## How the five compare

| Site | Licence holder | Type | Price of a bet | Withdrawals | Regulatory record | Apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Betfair](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/) | Betfair Pty Ltd (NT) | Betting exchange | 6% commission on net winnings (sport) | PayPal within 24 hours; bank 1–3 working days | NT fines of $24,174 × 2 (2024) | iOS 4.5 · Android 4.2 |
| [bet365](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/) | Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd (NT) | Bookmaker | Margin in the odds | 1–4 hours | NT fine of $13,430 (2025); AUSTRAC undertaking | iOS 4.7 · Android 4.6 |
| [PointsBet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/pointsbet-review/) | PointsBet Australia Pty Ltd (NT) | Bookmaker | Margin in the odds | Usually within 30 minutes | ACMA penalty of $500,800 (2025); three NT fines | iOS 4.6 · Android 3.3 |
| [Sportsbet](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/sportsbet-review/) | Sportsbet Pty Ltd (NT) | Bookmaker | Margin in the odds | Within a few hours (fast payments) | ACMA $2.5m (2022); NT fines of $405,640 (2025) | iOS 4.6 · Android 3.1 |
| [Bet Right InfoMarket](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betright-review/) | IRPSX Pty Ltd (NT) | Bookmaker, exchange-style prices | Margin in the 1c–99c prices | Not verified | Not fully checked | iOS 4.7 · Android 4.7 |

All five are licensed by the Northern Territory and on ACMA's register of licensed interactive gambling providers. App ratings are from the Australian App Store and Google Play on October 23, 2026; Bet Right's are for its betting app, whose store descriptions don't mention InfoMarket.

## How we scored them

| Criterion | Weight | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing & safety | 25% | ACMA's register, the licensing regulator, and fines and enforcement action by ACMA, AUSTRAC and the regulators |
| Event markets | 25% | Elections, politics, awards and economic events, and how clearly the rules say how they settle |
| Commission & pricing | 15% | An exchange's published commission, or a bookmaker's margin, and how openly the price is shown |
| Payments & payouts | 10% | Australian payment methods, minimums, fees and published withdrawal times |
| App & experience | 15% | How Australian users rate the iOS and Android apps, and how easy it is to follow an event market |
| Support & responsible gambling | 10% | Support hours and channels, deposit limits, activity statements, time-outs and BetStop |

Several of the sites were blocked to us from outside Australia, so we used their help centres, rule books, app listings and the regulators' records, and scored what we couldn't check conservatively. Bet Right's InfoMarket is new, and its sites blocked us entirely, so its payments and support scores are cautious. We don't list or score bonuses. The full method is in [how we rank event betting sites in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/how-we-rank/).

## Which events you can bet on

Each regulator decides which events its licensees may take bets on, and the rules differ by state.

- **Northern Territory**, which licenses all five sites in our ranking, declares political elections, entertainment, literary and art awards, Nobel prizes, RBA interest rates, ABS statistics such as CPI, GDP and unemployment, stock and currency indices, oil prices, rainfall and weather, cryptocurrency prices and novelty events. A market may only open if the result is clear, public, independently verifiable and known within five days, and the event isn't restricted to under-18s.
- **New South Wales** allows elections and other political events, entertainment and literary awards, RBA interest rates, Nobel prizes, Australian of the Year, reality TV and novelty events, but its rules for bookmakers exclude NSW state and council elections and require bets by candidates, campaign managers and electoral officials to be restricted.
- **Victoria** has a narrower list: fixed-odds bets on the Academy Awards, UK general elections, US presidential elections and Australian federal and state elections. It has banned bets on the performance of under-18s since February 26, 2024.
- **South Australia** approves Australian federal and state elections and referendums, UK, US and papal elections, the Academy Awards and Eurovision, and its approvals also apply to interstate operators.
- **Tasmania** approves awards, cultural events and political elections.

Bookmakers add their own rules. Election bets at bet365 and Bet Right are singles only, and bet365 settles its outright markets on the party that provides the Prime Minister, Premier or Chief Minister, and its seat markets on the Australian Electoral Commission's results. Online bets on sport once it has started are banned: those are taken by phone only.

## What it costs

On the Betfair exchange, the commission is the price. At 6%, a winning $100 back bet at 3.0 makes $188 instead of $200, which works like odds of 2.88, so an exchange price only beats a bookmaker's if it's still higher after commission. A small number of very profitable customers pay Betfair's Premium Charge, which tops up their fees to 20% of gross profit above £25,000 over 52 active weeks, or 40% above £100,000. Our [Betfair commission calculator](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/commission-calculator/) works out any back or lay bet and compares it with a bookmaker's odds.

Bookmakers don't charge commission: their margin is built into the odds, and we found no published margin at any of the four. InfoMarket's cent prices include Bet Right's margin too. You can measure a market's margin by adding up the implied probabilities of every outcome; our [margin calculator](https://safebet.ai/au/sports-betting/margin-calculator/) does it for you. Watch for inactivity fees: bet365 charges $5 a month after a year without activity, and PointsBet $10 a month after 18 months.

## Staying safe

- **Check the register.** Only providers on ACMA's register of licensed interactive gambling providers may take online bets from people in Australia. Our [legality check](https://safebet.ai/au/sports-betting/licence-check/) searches it, and flags sites on ACMA's blocked list.
- **Don't use a VPN to reach a blocked site.** Polymarket's own terms forbid it, and an unlicensed site offers you none of the protections below.
- **Pay the licensed way.** Licensed providers can't accept credit cards or crypto, by law since June 11, 2024, so a site that asks you to pay in crypto isn't one of them.
- **Know your liability.** When you lay on Betfair, you can lose several times what you stand to win.
- **Use BetStop.** It excludes you from every licensed provider at once, but it doesn't cover illegal sites.

## Taxes

Capital gains and losses from gambling are disregarded for capital gains tax under section 118-37 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, and betting operators pay the states' and the ACT's point-of-consumption taxes. We couldn't read the Australian Taxation Office's own guidance on betting winnings, so if betting is a business for you, ask a tax adviser.

## Betting responsibly

On an exchange every winning market pays commission, and on a bookmaker every price includes a margin, so punters as a whole lose over time. Set a deposit limit before your first bet, never chase losses, and stop when it isn't fun. BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, blocks you from every licensed online and phone betting provider for 3 months up to a lifetime; call 1800 238 786 or register at betstop.gov.au. The National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 is free, confidential and open 24/7, and our [guide to gambling help in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/guides/gambling-help-australia/) lists more support.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polymarket legal in Australia?

No. Polymarket holds no Australian licence, and ACMA, the federal regulator, has put polymarket.com on its list of blocked illegal gambling websites. Polymarket itself lists Australia among the 39 countries it completely restricts, and bans using a VPN to get around that. See [is Polymarket legal in Australia?](https://safebet.ai/au/guides/is-polymarket-legal-in-australia/)

### Are prediction markets legal in Australia?

Not as such: no prediction market holds an Australian licence, and providing betting to people in Australia without a state or territory licence breaches the Interactive Gambling Act. Betting on elections, awards and other approved events is legal with licensed bookmakers and the Betfair exchange. See [are prediction markets legal in Australia?](https://safebet.ai/au/guides/are-prediction-markets-legal-in-australia/)

### Can I bet on the federal election?

Yes, with a licensed bookmaker or Betfair, if you're 18 or over: the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania all allow betting on elections. Bookmakers' election bets are usually singles only and settle on official results; bet365, for example, settles its seat markets on the AEC's Declaration of Poll.

### How much commission does Betfair charge?

A Market Base Rate on your net winnings in each market: 6% on sport and international racing, 10% on NRL and 8% or 10% on Australian racing, since March 25, 2025. Betfair doesn't publish a separate rate for politics, so check the market's Rules tab. Our [Betfair commission calculator](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/commission-calculator/) works out any bet.

### Can I use Kalshi in Australia?

We can't say for sure. Kalshi holds no Australian licence and isn't on ACMA's register, but it wasn't on ACMA's blocked list on October 25, 2026 either, and we couldn't confirm whether it accepts people in Australia. We found no statement on Kalshi from ACMA, ASIC or the Northern Territory regulator, so we don't rank or recommend it.

### Do you pay tax on betting winnings in Australia?

Capital gains and losses from gambling are disregarded for capital gains tax (Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, section 118-37), and betting operators, not punters, pay the point-of-consumption taxes of 15% to 25% in the states and the ACT. We couldn't read the Australian Taxation Office's guidance on betting winnings, so if betting is a business for you, ask a tax adviser.

### How do you rank event betting sites in Australia?

We score each site from 0 to 10 on licensing and safety (25%), event markets (25%), commission and pricing (15%), payments and payouts (10%), app and experience (15%) and support and responsible gambling (10%), and the ranking follows the overall scores. Only providers on ACMA's register are eligible. See [how we rank event betting sites in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/how-we-rank/).

## Guides

- [How we rank the legal alternatives to prediction markets in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/how-we-rank/): Prediction markets such as Polymarket aren't licensed in Australia, so we rank the legal ways to bet on elections and other events: the Betfair exchange and licensed bookmakers' event markets. Only providers on ACMA's register of licensed interactive gambling providers qualify; Polymarket, which ACMA blocks, and other unlicensed platforms are never ranked. Each site is scored from 0 to 10 on six weighted criteria, licensing and safety, event markets, commission and pricing, payments and payouts, app and experience, and support and responsible gambling, and the ranking follows the overall scores. We don't list or score bonuses.

## Sources

1. [Check if a gambling operator is legal (register of licensed interactive gambling providers)](https://www.acma.gov.au/check-if-gambling-operator-legal) — ACMA, last updated 2026-10-21; accessed 2026-10-25
2. [Blocked gambling websites](https://www.acma.gov.au/blocked-gambling-websites) — ACMA, updated 2026-07-20; list checked 2026-10-25
3. [Interactive Gambling Act 2001](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A00851/latest/text) — Federal Register of Legislation, compilation of 2024-10-14; accessed 2026-10-23
4. [Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026A00072/asmade/text) — Federal Register of Legislation, assented 2026-08-26
5. Geographic restrictions (help.polymarket.com/en/articles/13364163-geographic-restrictions, not linked: unlicensed site) — Polymarket, 2026-08-14
6. [ASIC's binary options ban extended until 2031 (22-243MR)](https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2022-releases/22-243mr-asic-s-binary-options-ban-extended-until-2031/) — ASIC, 2022-09-05
7. [Declared sporting events for bookmaking](https://nt.gov.au/industry/gambling/licences/bookmaker-and-betting-exchange-licences-and-permits/declared-sporting-events-for-bookmaking) — Northern Territory Government, updated 2026-08-12
8. [Licensed wagering operators](https://dth.nt.gov.au/boards-and-committees/wagering-commission/licensed-wagering-operators) — NT Wagering Commission, list last updated 2026-10-23
9. [NT Wagering Commission Annual Report 2025–26](https://dth.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1650138/ntrw-commission-annual-report-2025-26.pdf) — Northern Territory Government, 2026; accessed 2026-10-23
10. [Approved betting events](https://www.vgccc.vic.gov.au/for-gambling-providers/wagering-and-betting/approved-betting-events) — Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, updated 2026-10-20
11. [Schedule of declared betting events and approved forms of betting](https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/noindex/2025-07/schedule-of-declared-betting-events.pdf) — NSW Government, 2025-08-28
12. [Bookmaker declared betting events betting rules](https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/noindex/2025-07/bookmaker-declared-betting-events-betting-rules.pdf) — NSW Government, accessed 2026-10-23
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