Is Stake Legal to Use in Australia Right Now?

The Short Answer on Stake in Australia

If you've been wondering whether you can legally sign up to Stake from Australia, the short answer is no, at least not for its online casino. The crypto-focused gambling brand is not licensed by any Australian state or territory regulator. Under federal law, offering online casino games to people located in Australia is prohibited. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has also moved to block access to several of the brand's domains. So while the operator is one of the best-known names in online gambling, it doesn't have permission to serve Aussie customers, and its own terms have listed Australia as a restricted territory.

That answer needs some context, because the legal picture is more nuanced than many social media posts suggest. Australian law mostly targets the businesses that offer illegal gambling services, not the individual players who use them. That doesn't make offshore play a good idea. If something goes wrong with your money, your account or a disputed bet, you have almost no local protection. This guide explains how the law works, why the brand is still so widely discussed in Australia, how to tell it apart from the unrelated share trading app with a similar name, and which legal options exist if you want to place a bet.

A quick disclaimer before we go further: this article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Gambling laws change, and enforcement priorities shift over time. Check current official sources such as ACMA before making any decision.

How the Interactive Gambling Act Shapes What You Can Use

The key piece of legislation is the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA). It was significantly strengthened by amendments that came into force in 2017. The Act sets out which types of online gambling services can lawfully be offered to people in Australia and which cannot. It is worth understanding the basics, because most of the confusion about offshore sites comes from misreading this law.

What is prohibited

Under the IGA, it is illegal for any company, whether based in Australia or overseas, to offer the following "interactive gambling services" to Australian residents:

• Online casino games, including online pokies, roulette, blackjack and baccarat
• Online poker for real money
• In-play (live) sports betting placed online, as opposed to by phone or in person
• Online "scratchies" and instant-win games not provided by licensed lottery operators
• Any wagering service offered by an operator that doesn't hold an Australian state or territory licence

What is allowed

The Act does permit some forms of online gambling when they are provided by properly licensed operators. These include:

• Pre-match sports betting with a licensed Australian bookmaker
• Online horse and greyhound race wagering through licensed providers
• Lotteries run by licensed lottery operators
• Some forms of betting on eligible events, subject to local rules

Most licensed online bookmakers operating nationally hold licences issued in the Northern Territory, with others licensed in states such as Victoria, New South Wales or Tasmania. A licensed operator must follow Australian consumer protection rules, advertising restrictions, responsible gambling obligations and anti-money-laundering requirements.

Where the offshore casino fits

The brand's main product is an online casino packed with slots, live dealer tables and in-house "originals" such as crash and dice games. Offering those games to Australians falls squarely into the prohibited category, regardless of where the company is licensed. Its licence comes from Curaçao, a jurisdiction often used by crypto casinos, and that licence gives it no standing in Australia. Even its sportsbook, which on the surface looks like something an Australian bookmaker might offer, is not licensed locally. That puts it outside the law as well.

Are players breaking the law?

This is the question most people really want answered. The IGA places its penalties on operators and on those who advertise prohibited services. Individual Australians who gamble on an offshore site are not generally the target of enforcement, and there is no specific offence for simply playing. The operator, however, can face substantial civil and criminal penalties for providing the service.

"Not prosecuted" is not the same as "legal and safe". Using a VPN or other workaround to get around a block or a site's geo-restrictions will usually breach the operator's terms of service. That breach can become the operator's reason to void winnings or close an account. We'll look at those risks in more detail below.

ACMA Blocking and What It Means for Aussie Players

Since late 2019, ACMA has had the power to ask Australian internet service providers to block websites that offer illegal online gambling. The regulator publishes a running list of blocked sites. That list has grown into the hundreds and now includes major offshore casinos and their "mirror" domains, which are copies of a site hosted at a slightly different web address to dodge blocks.

Stake-branded domains and related mirror addresses have appeared in ACMA's blocking actions. In practice, that means someone typing the address into a browser on a standard Australian internet connection may be redirected to a notice explaining that the site has been blocked for offering prohibited services. ACMA regularly updates its blocking list, and the latest additions are announced on its website and often picked up by gambling industry news outlets.

Why blocking matters even if you can get around it

Some people take the view that a block is a technicality, since a VPN can often bypass it. That thinking misses the point. A block is the regulator's clearest possible signal that the service is unlawful for Australians and that no Australian consumer protection will apply. If you use workarounds to reach a blocked site, you are knowingly stepping outside every safety net that exists for local gamblers:

• No access to an Australian ombudsman or dispute resolution body
• No enforceable obligation for the operator to follow Australian responsible gambling codes
• No connection to BetStop, the national self-exclusion register
• Limited or no recourse through Australian consumer law if a withdrawal is withheld

Advertising and influencer marketing

The IGA also makes it an offence to advertise prohibited interactive gambling services in Australia. This has become especially relevant as streaming culture has grown. Much of the brand's visibility among younger Aussies comes from online streamers, social media clips and sponsorship deals with sporting teams overseas. ACMA has taken an increasing interest in how offshore gambling content reaches Australian audiences. Several media stories have examined the role influencers play in promoting crypto casinos to young people. If you see a streamer promoting a casino you can't legally access, treat that as a warning sign, not a recommendation.

Why the Brand Is So Popular Despite the Restrictions

It can seem strange that a gambling site unavailable to Australians is so often talked about here. There are several reasons, and some of them are rooted in local history.

Australian founders

The company behind the brand was co-founded by Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, both of whom grew up in Melbourne. The pair built their business in the cryptocurrency gambling space during the 2010s and launched the platform in 2017. It grew rapidly into one of the leading crypto casinos in the world. Their success has been the subject of many feature stories in Australian and international business press. Coverage has often focused on the unusual fact that two young Melbourne entrepreneurs built a global gambling empire that cannot legally serve their home market.

Global sponsorships

The brand has spent heavily on high-profile sponsorships and brand partners. These have included deals in English Premier League football, a naming partnership in Formula 1, and arrangements with UFC and major music artists. Those deals put the logo in front of huge worldwide audiences, including Australians watching international sport on television or online. Seeing a brand on a Formula 1 car or a Premier League shirt can make it feel mainstream and trustworthy. That visibility doesn't change its legal status in Australia.

Streaming and crypto culture

The platform became closely associated with live streaming, particularly on sites where creators broadcast themselves gambling. Its crypto-first model, which allows deposits and withdrawals in Bitcoin, Ethereum and other coins, also appealed to people already involved in digital assets. Some users are told by online communities that crypto makes offshore gambling "anonymous" or "untraceable". Those claims are misleading. They also ignore the reality that crypto transactions are irreversible, which removes one of the few safety nets a bank card might otherwise offer.

What popularity doesn't tell you

A large global audience is not the same as legal permission in your country. The operator is legitimately licensed in some jurisdictions and blocked or restricted in many others. Popularity should never be used as a shortcut for deciding whether a gambling service is right for you, and especially not whether it is lawful where you live.

Not to Be Confused With: The Stake Share Trading App

A lot of people searching for this topic are actually thinking of a completely different company. There is an Australian share trading platform that operates under the same name. It is unrelated to the crypto casino and is entirely legal to use.

What the investing app is

The investing app was founded in Australia in 2017 and lets retail investors buy shares on US markets such as the NYSE and Nasdaq, as well as on the ASX. It became popular with younger Australians because it offered low-cost access to US stocks at a time when many traditional brokers charged high fees for international trading. The app is used by hundreds of thousands of customers across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Regulation and legality

Unlike the offshore casino, the share trading business operates under Australian financial services regulation. The company holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and is overseen by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). That means it is subject to rules on disclosure, client money handling, dispute resolution and the conduct of financial advice. If you have a complaint, you can escalate it through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

Why the mix-up happens

Both brands share a name, both launched in the same year, and both are frequently discussed in personal finance and crypto circles. News headlines using just the brand name can be ambiguous. When someone asks online whether "it" is legal in Australia, they might mean either business, and replies from other users can make the confusion worse. Before you take any action, make sure you know which service you are reading about.

Investing in shares carries its own risks, and you should consider your personal financial situation and read the relevant disclosure documents before trading. Still, the investing app is a legitimate, regulated Australian service. That is a very different proposition from an offshore casino.

The Real Risks of Using an Offshore Casino From Australia

Some Australians still decide to use offshore gambling sites despite the law. If you're thinking about it, you should understand the practical risks clearly. These are not scare tactics. They reflect the problems that come up again and again in player complaints and consumer warnings.

1. Winnings can be voided for breaching terms

Most offshore operators, including this one, list restricted countries in their terms of service. Accessing the site from a restricted country, or using a VPN to hide your location, usually breaches those terms. If the operator detects this, often during identity verification before a large withdrawal, it can close your account and refuse to pay out. In that situation you have little practical way to claim the money back.

2. No Australian dispute resolution

A licensed Australian bookmaker must have a complaints process and is accountable to its state or territory regulator. An offshore casino is only answerable to its overseas licensing body. Complaints there can be slow, opaque and difficult to pursue from Australia.

3. Crypto transactions are irreversible

Crypto deposits cannot be charged back the way a card payment sometimes can. If you send funds to the wrong address, get caught by a phishing copy of the site, or lose access to your account, the money is usually gone for good. Scam "mirror" sites imitating popular brands are a known problem, and blocking makes it harder to know which web address is genuine.

4. Weaker responsible gambling controls

Australian licensed operators must offer deposit limits, activity statements and links to support services. They also must connect to BetStop, which lets people exclude themselves from every licensed Australian wagering provider at once. Offshore casinos are not part of BetStop. Anyone who has self-excluded in Australia may find offshore sites a dangerous loophole. Fast-paced casino games, particularly crash-style originals and high-volatility slots, carry a higher risk of harm than many other forms of gambling.

5. Tax and record-keeping complications

In Australia, gambling winnings are generally not taxed for recreational players. Crypto, however, is treated as property by the Australian Taxation Office. Moving crypto in and out of a gambling site can create capital gains tax events tied to changes in the coin's value. If you hold or trade crypto, keep detailed records and consider speaking to a registered tax agent.

6. Your data sits overseas

Identity verification means handing over passport scans, proof of address and sometimes bank details. With an offshore operator, that personal data is held outside Australian privacy law protections.

If you still want to research the brand's offerings in jurisdictions where it is permitted, only use official channels and read the current terms carefully. You can review the operator's latest information via this link. Always confirm that the service is available where you live before creating an account. Do not attempt to access any gambling service from a country where it is restricted.

Legal Alternatives: Licensed Bookmakers and Safer Gambling Tools

If what you really want is a flutter on the footy, the cricket or a big horse race like the Melbourne Cup, there are plenty of lawful options. Australia has one of the most developed licensed wagering markets in the world. Many licensed operators offer competitive odds, fast payouts and strong account protections.

How to check if a bookmaker is licensed

• Look for the licence details in the website footer. A licensed Australian bookmaker will name its regulator, commonly the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission or a state body.
• Check for BetStop links. Every licensed operator must promote the national self-exclusion register.
• Watch for prohibited products. If a site offers online pokies, casino tables or online live betting to Australians, it is not a licensed Australian operator.
• Search ACMA's blocked list. If a site or its mirrors appear there, avoid it.
• Check payment options. Since June 2024, licensed Australian wagering providers have been banned from accepting credit cards and credit-related crypto payments. A site that pushes credit card deposits may be operating outside the rules.

What licensed operators can offer

Licensed bookmakers can take pre-match bets on almost every major sport. They also provide racing wagering on thoroughbreds, harness and greyhounds, including fixed odds and tote products. Many offer same-game multis, detailed form guides and live streaming of races. In-play betting on sport is still restricted for online accounts. You can usually place live bets by phone with the same provider, a quirk of the IGA that has attracted debate in the wagering industry for years.

Protections you get with a licensed operator

• Mandatory deposit limit tools you can set yourself
• Monthly activity statements showing your wins and losses
• Account verification rules designed to prevent underage gambling
• Access to BetStop and support services such as Gambling Help Online
• Regulatory oversight and complaint pathways within Australia

Staying in control

Whichever service you use, gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, not a way to make money. Set a budget before you start and never chase losses. If gambling stops being fun, take a break. Gambling Help Online provides free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858, and BetStop lets you self-exclude from all licensed Australian wagering providers for anything from three months to life.

What might change in the future

Gambling regulation remains a live political issue in Australia. A 2023 parliamentary inquiry into online gambling harm recommended wide-ranging reforms, including tighter limits on gambling advertising. Debate continues about how to handle offshore operators, crypto payments and gambling-like features in video games. Several leading academics and public health experts have argued for stronger enforcement against offshore sites. It is possible the rules will tighten further, but there is no sign the ban on online casino games will be lifted soon. Follow ACMA announcements and reputable news outlets to keep up with related developments.