Laws surrounding Lotto in Australia
Lottery games are a popular Australian gambling pastime and are enjoyed within both the offline and online gaming realms. This article will help you understand the rules and regulations surrounding lotto games inside Australian borders, and what happens on the Internet, too.
Laws for state-run lotteries (offline)
Each state within Australia is in control of its own lottery regulations. While the national government overseas the more general laws concerning the exact types of lotteries which can and cannot be run, it is up to each state to license lottery operators, and manage how it distributes its own lottery products. Here is a run down of the licensed lottery operators in Australia, and the regulated lotteries which are conducted across the country:
Major lottery players
- Tatts Group Limited (also referred to as Tattersall’s)
- Jumbo Interactive (operates as OzLotteries online)
- LotteryWest
The legal age to purchase lottery tickets is 18 across all states except for Western Australia, where the legal age has been lowered to 16.
Tatts Group Limited is the largest operator in the country, having taken over operation of several state-owned lottery companies. It administers the following games:
- Saturday Lotto (nationally available)
- Monday & Wednesday Lotto (nationally available)
- Oz Lotto (nationally available)
- Powerball (nationally available)
- Super 66 (nationally available, except in New South Wales)
While each state still retains technical legal ownership of their own lottery companies, Tatts Group Limited manages the lotteries provided by Queensland’s Golden Casket Lottery Corporation, New South Wales Lotteries in NSW and the ACT, and South Australian Lotteries in South Australia.
The Soccer Pools is a lottery based on results of national or Northern Hemisphere matches (depending on the time of the year) – is a national game administered by South Australian Lotteries (which is managed by Tatts Group Limited).
Lotto Strike, which is only available to play in New South Wales and Tasmania, is the substitute game for Super 66. It is administered by New South Wales Lotteries (which is managed by Tatts Group Limited).
Cash3 is a lottery games which is played solely in Western Australia, and administered by LotteryWest. LotteryWest is the only state owned-and-operated lottery company (not managed by another enterprise).
Lucky Lotteries is a raffle-type lotto draw, is managed by Tatts Group Limited and is available to play in all Tattersall’s jurisdictions. There are two lotteries available to partake in: the Super Jackpot and the Mega Jackpot draws.
The game Set For Life was introduced by Tatts Group Limited in August 2015, and has a unique game structure when compared to all other lottery games. It is also available to play in all Tattersall’s jurisdictions.
Tickets to the above lotteries can be purchased directly from retail stores across the country, or bought online via the Tattersall’s website or via www.OzLotteries.com (Jumbo Interactive), which is an accredited and licensed sales agent of Tattersall’s, New South Wales Lotteries and South Australian Lotteries. Register an account with OzLotteries and grab one free game as your new player welcome bonus.
Keno games
South Australian Lotteries administers games of keno within its own state, and also syndicates those games to the Australian Capital Territory’s ACTTAB.
Tabcorp Holdings runs keno draws in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Tabcorp also operates the game Trackside, which is a computer generated racing game involving thoroughbred, harness, hurdle and greyhound races. It is available to play in Victoria and New South Wales gaming venues.
SkyCity Darwin (the land-based casino in Darwin) runs NT Keno on behalf of all gaming venues in the Northern Territory.
Scratch cards (also known as scratchies and instants), can also be purchased at outlets and gaming venues. Players will scratch to try and match hidden numbers, puzzles or codes to win a prize (usually cash). Scratchies usually sell for $1, $1.10, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, $15 and $20, and cannot be exchanged across states.
If a private or public company wishes to conduct its own lottery, raffle or other game of chance, to raise money for a non-profit organisation or to increase membership or awareness, it must follow the guidelines as set out by its own state gaming commission.
Lottery online regulations in Australia
Government licensed distribution companies such as OzLotteries and Tattersalls are permitted to sell their lottery products online.
Again, companies who wish to go down the online avenue of marketing a lottery game to promote their own business or conduct their own raffle to raise funds for a certain cause, must obtain permission from its state gaming body.
Real money Internet gaming companies, such as an online sports bookmaker, are permitted to offer lottery games over the Internet, so long as the organisation is licensed within Australian borders, and it has received approval from the government.
According to the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) of 2001, which was passed by the Australian Commonwealth Parliament (led by Prime Minister John Howard), locally-owned and foreign real money Internet gaming operators are not allowed to advertise or market to Australian residents any ‘interactive’ games. Activities that are deemed ‘interactive’ largely suit the government’s agenda, and currently include:
- Online casino games
- Instant scratch cards
- Online poker games
Technically, games such as online bingo, online keno, live dealer lotto and other lotto-based titles (so long as they are no instant scratch cards, which are considered ‘interactive’), are permitted within the online realm of gambling, but because most of those games are offered within the Internet casino format, they are considered illegal. However, offshore casino websites legitimately licensed in foreign jurisdictions continue to market their lotto games to Australian residents aged 18 years and older, and there has never been a serious attempt by the government to thwart such operations. Some of their top lotto titles include: Bonus Keno, Electric Bingo, Super Bonus Bingo, Triple Wins, Krazy Keno, live dealer lotto, live dealer keno and more.