Sports Betting

Types of Bets

In Australia, betting on the outcome of a sporting event can be made online, in person, or be telephone. The availability of online betting apps have made race betting more accessible- in addition to being convenient and heavily advertised, players can place bets quickly and receive payouts every so often. They allow players to place large bets on multiple outcomes, sometimes using credit cards, which can increase the amount that players spend.

Typically bets on sporting games in Australia can be split into basic types:

  • Head-to-head bets: a bet on which team will win or whether there will be a draw

  • Line or handicap betting: a handicap is applied to both teams to balance uneven match ups, favourites receive a negative handicap and underdogs receive a positive handicap. This means that the outcome of the gamble depends on the final margin adjusted by the handicap rather than who wins the game outright

  • Total points or over/under bet: a bet on whether the points scored by teams combined will equal under or over an amount ascertained by a book maker.

  • Future bets: contests that involve placing bets on long term outcomes such as the winner of a premiership or winner of MVP medallions.

More advanced options include same game multis, which is a combination of bets placed on different aspects of the game like score, margin and player performance (riskier but yields higher reward if successful) and player props, involves betting on the performance of specific player. 

Regulatory Framework

Sports betting agencies that offer land-based (as opposed to online) gambling do so pursuant to a licence issued by the regulator in the state or territory in which the agency is based.

Sports betting that occurs online is regulated by a single federal regulator – the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

General Responsibilities of Sports Betting Agencies

All betting companies must follow the National Consumer Protection Framework, which regulators are responsible for enforcing. The framework focuses on six main areas:

  • advertising and promotions

  • deposit limits

  • closing betting accounts

  • monthly activity statements

  • staff training

  • responsible gambling messages in advertising.

Under the framework, betting companies are not allowed to offer things like free bets, vouchers, or credit to encourage people to sign up or keep betting. They can’t send marketing messages unless the customer has agreed to receive them, and ads must include responsible gambling warnings.

Providers must also make it easy for customers to set spending limits, close their accounts, and see clear monthly statements showing how much money they’ve spent and lost.

Under the framework, sports betting agencies must also:

  • check your age and identity before letting you bet

  • let you set limits on how much money you deposit

  • only send you marketing if you choose to receive it

  • send you monthly statements that clearly show money spent and lost

  • give you access to self-exclusion tools like BetStop, which let you block yourself from gambling

If someone self-excludes, the betting company must close access to their account and stop sending them messages.

Betting providers are also not allowed to offer rewards, credits, or referral bonuses to encourage people to open accounts.

“In-play betting” (where a bet is placed during live sporting events) is not allowed online (except for racing).

Working with Sporting Authorities

To offer betting on a sport, betting companies must have an agreement with that sport’s official governing body (called Sports Controlling Bodies).

These bodies oversee betting on their sport and enter into agreements with betting companies. These agreements help protect the integrity of the sport and also allow the sporting bodies to receive money from betting activities.

There are 14 approved Sports Controlling Bodies in Australia: Australian Football League (AFL), Basketball Australia, Baseball Australia, Bowls Australia, Cricket Australia, PGA of Australia, Hockey Australia, Motorcycling Australia, Motorsport Australia, Netball Australia, National Rugby League (NRL), Rugby Australia, Football Australia, and Tennis Australia.