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Analysis · Law and licensing

BetStop, Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register, from ACMA's own pages and the Interactive Gambling Act

Published 2026-10-09By the CryptoGuardz Register Desk7 min read13 sources

Photo: Grace Galligan / Unsplash

In short, from the documents

BetStop: Australia's self-exclusion register

BetStop is the Australian Government's free National Self-Exclusion Register, launched on 21 August 2023. It bars a registered person from all licensed interactive wagering providers, online and by phone, for a minimum of 3 months up to a lifetime. By 31 March 2026, 59,830 people had registered and 37,247 exclusions were active.

Piece published 2026-10-09Reviewed by CryptoGuardz Register Desk, editorial desk

BetStop is Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register, a free Australian Government service launched on 21 August 2023. Registering bars you from every licensed interactive wagering provider in Australia, online and by phone, for a minimum of 3 months up to a lifetime. ACMA counts about 150 such providers. By 31 March 2026, 59,830 people had registered and 37,247 exclusions were active.

It is a strong tool inside its scope, and its scope is licensed wagering. Offshore online casinos, crypto or otherwise, are outside it because Australian law does not license them in the first place. This page sets out what BetStop does, how to join, and where else to get help.

What is BetStop?

ACMA describes it as "BetStop - the National Self-Exclusion Register", and the BetStop site calls it "a safe and free Australian Government initiative". The Department of Social Services release of 21 August 2023 set out what it does:

BetStop covers all Australian licensed interactive wagering service providers

Department of Social Services media release, 21 August 2023, retrieved 2026-10-09

The Australian flag flying on the mast above Parliament House in Canberra — Illustration: Parliament House, Canberra. BetStop is an Australian Government register run by ACMA, as the sources in this section describe. Photo: Marcus Reubenstein / Unsplash

Self-exclusion gambling register to launch in August | ABC NewsVideo by ABC News (Australia) on YouTube. Watch on YouTubeABC News (Australia) reporting on the register before it launched; it covers the same scheme this section quotes from ACMA and the Department of Social Services.

Covered providers cannot open an account for a registered person, cannot accept their bets, and cannot send them marketing, per the same release. The legal base is Part 7B of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, headed National Self-exclusion Register; section 61KA is headed "Prohibition of the provision of licensed interactive wagering services to registered individuals".

How long does a BetStop exclusion last?

From 3 months to a lifetime, chosen by you. ACMA's page says "You can self-exclude for a minimum of 3 months and up to a lifetime", and that once set, the period can be extended but not shortened. That one-way rule is the point of the register: a decision made on a clear day holds on a bad one.

BetStop fact	Figure	Source
Launch	21 August 2023	DSS release
Minimum exclusion	3 months	ACMA; DSS release
Maximum exclusion	Lifetime	ACMA; DSS release
Can shorten an exclusion	No, extend only	ACMA
Licensed wagering providers covered	About 150	ACMA
People registered since launch	59,830	ACMA, as of 31 March 2026
Active exclusions	37,247	ACMA, as of 31 March 2026
Cost	Free	BetStop

How do you register for BetStop?

Online, in about five minutes, per the BetStop home page. ACMA says "All you need is a mobile phone number, email address and either an Australian driver's licence or a Medicare card." The page used is betstop.gov.au, through its "Register now" button. Nominating a support person and the other options inside the sign-up flow were not checked for this page.

Can you cancel a BetStop exclusion early?

Not in the first 3 months, and not on impulse after that. ACMA's page says "You cannot reduce your self-exclusion period." A registered person may apply for removal after the first 3 months, but the application needs a statutory declaration that they have had counselling or advice from a qualified counsellor, psychologist or doctor. If it is not withdrawn, the person "will be removed from the register 7 days after the application is received", and "Any support people will be notified when this application is made."

What if a betting company ignores BetStop?

Complain to ACMA. Its page says "If you believe that a wagering provider has breached self-exclusion laws, you can make a complaint." ACMA does enforce it. Its investigation report on Entain Group Pty Ltd, trading as Ladbrokes AU and Neds AU, published in May 2026, opened after 7 complaints and sampled 50 BetStop-registered customers.

Entain finding	Provision	Contraventions
Opened accounts for registered individuals	s.61MA(2)	4
Provided wagering services to registered individuals	s.61KA(3)	59
Did not close accounts with no outstanding bets	s.61MB(5)	449
Failed to promote the register as required	s.61JP(5)	23
Sent marketing messages to registered individuals	s.61LA(4)	None found

The report found that "Entain did not take reasonable precautions or exercise due diligence". The penalty that followed is not in the part of the report read: not verified.

What does BetStop not cover?

Anything that is not a licensed interactive wagering service. ACMA's page describes the register in terms of licensed wagering providers, and the DSS release in terms of "licensed interactive wagering service providers". Land-based venues, pokies in clubs and pubs, and lotteries are not named as covered on either page read. Other exclusion programs for venues exist at state level and were not covered here: not verified.

Why are offshore crypto casinos outside BetStop?

Because they are illegal to offer in Australia, so there is nothing to license and nothing to connect to the register. The Interactive Gambling Act makes providing a "prohibited interactive gambling service" with an Australian-customer link an offence under section 15(1), with a penalty of 5,000 penalty units, and a civil penalty provision under section 15(2A) at 7,500 penalty units. ACMA's summary of the Act lists among banned services "online casinos", "in-play sports betting", "sports betting services which do not hold an Australian licence" and "betting on the outcome of a lottery".

BetStop connects to licensed operators. An offshore crypto casino is not licensed, so it is not connected to the register and cannot check it, and section 61KA is framed around "licensed interactive wagering services". Reaching one is not a gap in BetStop; it is a site Australian law already says should not be serving you.

ACMA's answer to those sites is blocking. Its blocking page says "We can ask internet service providers to help us disrupt illegal online content by blocking access to websites", under section 313 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

ACMA blocking figure	Count	Source
Illegal gambling and affiliate websites blocked since November 2019	1,296	ACMA article, August 2025
Websites referred to ISPs for blocking, January to March 2026	109	ACMA quarterly report

The August 2025 article named Polymarket among the sites blocked in that round. ACMA's latest cumulative figure, in its May 2026 article, could not be read in two attempts: not verified.

Of the 24 crypto casinos on this register, 12 name Australia in their own restricted-territory terms, and 6 of those reserve the balance if they find a player there, per the Australia country page. For the legal detail, see crypto casinos and Australian law.

If you have registered with BetStop and still want to bet

That pull is common, and it is what the help services are for. ACMA points people to the national gambling helpline on 1800 858 858 and to Gambling Help Online, which describes itself as "free, professional, and confidential" and runs around the clock. Extending an exclusion is possible at any time; shortening it is not. Blocking software, bank gambling blocks and talking to someone close are all options a counsellor can go through. This register does not publish ways to reach gambling sites, offshore or otherwise.

What this does not show

The share of registrants choosing each exclusion length, which ACMA's Q3 report shows only as a chart image. State venue exclusion programs. The current number of providers connected beyond ACMA's "approximately 150". ACMA's cumulative blocking total after August 2025.

Quick answers

What is BetStop?

The Australian Government's free National Self-Exclusion Register, launched on 21 August 2023. It bars you from all licensed interactive wagering providers, online and by phone.

How long is a BetStop exclusion?

From 3 months to a lifetime. ACMA says an exclusion can be extended but not shortened.

Does BetStop cover online casinos?

Online casinos are illegal to offer in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act, so none is licensed or connected to BetStop. ACMA blocks them instead: 1,296 sites since November 2019, per its August 2025 count. See the Australia country page.

How many people use BetStop?

ACMA reports 59,830 registrations since launch and 37,247 active exclusions as of 31 March 2026.

Where can I get help with gambling in Australia?

Call the national gambling helpline on 1800 858 858 or visit Gambling Help Online, both free. Gambling Therapy offers international support. More options are on the responsible gambling page.

More analysis

2026-10-09Crypto casinos and Australia, from the Interactive Gambling Act, ACMA's blocking figures and the operators' own termsThe Interactive Gambling Act 2001 makes it an offence to provide an online casino to customers in Australia, with 5,000 penalty units per day. ACMA had blocked 1,296 illegal gambling and affiliate sites by August 2025. 12 of the 24 crypto casinos on the CryptoGuardz register bar Australia in their own terms, and 6 of those reserve the balance.2026-10-09Are sweepstakes casinos gambling? The prize, chance and consideration test, the dual-currency model and the state bansSweepstakes casinos say free entry removes consideration, one of gambling's three elements. Six states disagree by statute: California, New Jersey, Montana and New York in 2025, Louisiana and Maine in 2026. Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Maryland and Connecticut have acted through lawsuits, letters or settlements. Most states have no specific law.2026-10-09Can you chargeback a casino deposit or a crypto purchase? What card rules and casino terms sayA chargeback is a card network process that lets a bank reverse a disputed payment. A crypto transfer has no equivalent; the FTC says crypto payments "typically are not reversible". 15 of 24 register casinos show a card route, and the terms read charge players for chargebacks, forfeit winnings or call one a breach.2026-10-09Are gambling winnings taxable in Canada? The CRA's position and the Leblanc and Cohen casesThe CRA says lottery winnings of any amount are not reported or taxed unless they are income from employment, a business or property. The Tax Court held in Leblanc (2006) that over C$5.5 million won on sports lotteries was not business income, and in Cohen (2011) that a lawyer turned poker player could not deduct C$121,991 of losses.2026-10-09Can you deduct gambling losses on your taxes? Itemizing, the 90% rule from 2026 and the records crypto casinos keepUS players can deduct gambling losses only by itemizing on Schedule A, and only up to the winnings they report. From tax year 2026 the deduction is 90% of losses. The IRS requires a diary plus statements; of three crypto casino terms read, none promises a statement, and two make their own logs final.2026-10-09Crypto tax in India, by the text of sections 115BBH and 194S and the 2025 Act that replaced themIndia taxes income from transferring crypto at a flat 30% under section 115BBH, allowing only the cost of acquisition and no set-off of losses. Section 194S takes 1% TDS on transfers above Rs 10,000 a year, or Rs 50,000 for a specified person. From 1 April 2026 both rules sit in the Income-tax Act 2025.

Sources

About this piece

Compiled by the CryptoGuardz register team from the sources listed above. Research and drafting are AI-assisted and reviewed by a named editor before publication. Nothing here is a recommendation to gamble. If a figure or a reading is wrong, tell us and the correction is logged in public.