Reviewed by The Best Sports Bet editorial team · Last updated June 2026 · Our editorial & review policy
Short answer for Australia: first, the part most sites skip — under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, only Australian-licensed bookmakers may legally offer online betting to Australians, and the books reviewed below are offshore and not licensed here. Read the legality section before you deposit. For punters who understand and accept the offshore risk and want Asian-handicap and cricket depth, Dafabet is our top pick; for market breadth and crypto payouts, 22Bet. We also flag two big names we deliberately don’t recommend. (18+. Gambling involves risk — only stake what you can afford to lose, and check it’s legal where you live.)
Is online sports betting legal in Australia?
Yes — but only with an Australian-licensed bookmaker, and with limits. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) makes it illegal for an operator to offer online sportsbook betting to Australians unless it holds an Australian licence, and it bans online in-play (live) betting outright, leaving only a narrow phone “click-to-call” carve-out. The Act targets the operator, not the punter — there’s no record of individual Australians being prosecuted for betting offshore — but the practical consequences are real: the ACMA can have offshore sites blocked at the ISP level, and if an offshore book voids a bet, freezes your balance or stalls a payout, no Australian regulator can help you. Every operator we review on this page is offshore and not Australian-licensed, so treat the picks below as “best of the offshore books for these niches, used at your own risk” — not as a substitute for the protection an Australian-licensed bookmaker gives you.
How we chose
A “best” sportsbook isn’t the one with the loudest bonus — it’s the one that pays out, prices fairly, and respects the law where you are. We weight six things:
- Licensing & track record — regulated in serious jurisdictions, no pattern of withheld winnings (and, honestly, whether it’s licensed in Australia at all).
- Margins / odds — especially on Asian handicap and totals, where small edges compound.
- Withdrawal speed & reliability — including how bad the first-time KYC delay is.
- Market depth — soccer, cricket (BBL, Tests, IPL), tennis, esports and the local codes.
- Regional availability — does it accept Australians, and what does the offshore status mean for you?
- Payments — cards, bank transfer, and crypto (and which local rails do or don’t work).
The best sports betting sites in 2026 (offshore)
1. Dafabet — best for Asian handicap & cricket
Operating since 2004 and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, Curaçao, PAGCOR and the Isle of Man, Dafabet is the strongest all-round offshore pick for the value-focused punter. Its Asian-handicap pricing on top football is consistently competitive, and its cricket coverage (internationals and Tests, the BBL, the IPL and other T20 leagues) is among the best anywhere. Weak spots: modest bonuses, a slow first-withdrawal KYC (verify early), thinner AFL/NRL depth than a local book, and — like every pick here — no Australian licence. Full Dafabet review →
2. 22Bet — best for market breadth & crypto
Licensed in Curaçao (and Kahnawake for Canada) and rated 8.0/High by Casino Guru, 22Bet offers one of the widest market menus in the business — 1,500+ markets on big soccer games, deep esports, and unusually rich ice-hockey Asian handicaps — plus 30+ cryptocurrencies for fast payouts. Trade-offs: football margins run a little wider (~5.4%), card withdrawals can be slow (use crypto, since local rails like PayID/POLi generally aren’t available offshore), and it holds no Australian licence. Full 22Bet review →
How they compare
| Dafabet | 22Bet | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Asian handicap & cricket | Market breadth & crypto |
| Licences | UKGC, Curaçao, PAGCOR, IoM, Kenya | Curaçao, Kahnawake |
| Australian licence | No (offshore) | No (offshore) |
| Football margins | Tight on top leagues | ~5.4% (wider) |
| Fastest withdrawal | e-wallets ~24h | Crypto (minutes) |
| Crypto | Limited | 30+ coins |
| Welcome bonus | Modest / region-only | 100% to ~A$200 |
What about the local codes — AFL, NRL and racing?
Be realistic about fit. The offshore books above are built around Asian-handicap soccer and cricket; their AFL, NRL and Australian horse-racing markets exist but are thinner than what you’d find at an Australian-licensed bookmaker that lives and breathes those codes. If your betting is mostly footy line markets, multis on the racing, or NRL try-scorers, the offshore edge largely disappears and the lack of Australian protection isn’t worth it. The offshore case is strongest when you specifically want tight Asian-handicap pricing or deep cricket and esports menus that local books don’t match.
Two big names we don’t recommend right now
- 188BET — once a sharp Asian-handicap favourite, it rebranded to Taptap and is winding down; you can’t open a new account. What happened to 188BET →
- 1xBet — enormous and heavily advertised, but it carries a revoked UK licence, bans in several countries, and a record of disputed payouts, and it’s among the offshore sites the ACMA has acted to block. Why we’re cautious on 1xBet →
Recognisable branding and big sponsorships are not proof of trustworthiness — the licence and the payout record are.
How to choose for Australia
Before depositing: decide first whether you want the protection of an Australian-licensed bookmaker (recommended if local recourse matters to you) or are knowingly going offshore for a specific niche. If offshore, confirm the book accepts Australians, check it holds a serious overseas licence, read real withdrawal reports for your payment method, and expect to use crypto or cards rather than PayID/POLi. Remember online in-play betting is banned under the IGA, the ACMA may block offshore sites, and an offshore balance has no Australian safety net.
Best betting sites — frequently asked questions
Is online betting legal in Australia?
Yes, but only with an Australian-licensed bookmaker, and online in-play betting is banned under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The offshore books reviewed here aren’t Australian-licensed; the law targets operators rather than punters, but you get no local consumer protection using them.
What is the best sports betting site for Asian handicap?
Among the offshore books, Dafabet — it’s built around AH on football and cricket with competitive top-league margins. 22Bet offers the widest AH menu across sports.
Which betting site has the fastest withdrawals?
For crypto, 22Bet (often minutes). For traditional methods, Dafabet’s e-wallet payouts clear in around 24 hours once your account is verified.
Is 1xBet safe?
We don’t recommend it — it has a revoked UK licence, multiple country bans, and disputed-payout reports, and it’s among the offshore sites the ACMA has acted to block. See our 1xBet caution.
How do I know a betting site is legit?
Check for a licence from a serious regulator (UKGC, Isle of Man, PAGCOR, Curaçao — or, for full protection, an Australian licence), a clean payout record, and legal availability where you live — not the size of its bonus or sponsorships.
Gamble responsibly — 18+. Betting can be addictive. Responsible gambling. Free, confidential help in Australia: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 (24/7) or self-exclude nationally at BetStop.
