{"id":175,"date":"2026-03-10T05:09:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T18:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T08:39:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T22:39:48","slug":"188bet-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/","title":{"rendered":"188BET in 2026: Closed &#038; Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Reviewed by The Best Sports Bet editorial team \u00b7 Last updated June 2026 \u00b7 <a href=\"\/en-au\/editorial-policy\/\">Our editorial &amp; review policy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick take:<\/strong> If you came looking for a 188BET review, here&#8217;s the honest update first: <strong>188BET no longer operates under that name.<\/strong> It rebranded to <strong>Taptap<\/strong> in 2025, and its closure has since been reported in the trade press. You can&#8217;t open a new 188BET account, and the affiliate offers you&#8217;ll still see floating around for &#8220;188BET&#8221; are out of date. Below: what actually happened, what to do if you held an account, and the best current alternatives for what 188BET was known for \u2014 sharp Asian handicap odds \u2014 written for Australian punters. <strong>(18+. Gamble responsibly.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>What happened to 188BET?<\/h2>\n<p>188BET launched in 2006 and was, for years, licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. In <strong>2025 it rebranded to Taptap<\/strong> (under the operator CyberArena) and shifted operations toward the Philippines. Since then, <strong>188BET&#8217;s closure has been reported by industry outlet Gambling Insider<\/strong>. In short: the brand you remember is gone, and it is winding down rather than taking on new customers.<\/p>\n<h2>I have a 188BET \/ Taptap account \u2014 what should I do?<\/h2>\n<p>If you still hold a balance, take it seriously, but get your information from the right place:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Verify directly<\/strong> with the operator (Taptap \/ CyberArena) and with your own bank or e-wallet provider about pending balances and timelines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be sceptical of third-party &#8220;deadline&#8221; pages.<\/strong> Several sites are publishing specific shutdown dates and &#8220;your funds are 100% safe&#8221; reassurances while funnelling you to one particular replacement bookmaker. Those are affiliate marketing pages, not official notices \u2014 don&#8217;t make decisions based on them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Withdraw to a verified method you control<\/strong> \u2014 and remember that an offshore balance, whether it&#8217;s A$50 or A$5,000, has no Australian safety net \u2014 then keep records of any transactions and support tickets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>We don&#8217;t publish an unverified closure date here on purpose \u2014 the specific dates circulating online trace back to a promotional source, and we won&#8217;t repeat a claim we can&#8217;t stand behind.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>A note for Australian punters on offshore books<\/h2>\n<p>188BET was always an offshore operator with no Australian licence, and the same is true of the alternatives below. Under Australia&#8217;s <strong>Interactive Gambling Act 2001<\/strong>, only Australian-licensed bookmakers may legally offer online betting to Australians, and online in-play betting is banned. The law targets operators rather than individual punters, but using an offshore book means <strong>no Australian consumer protection<\/strong> if a balance is frozen or a payout is disputed \u2014 exactly the situation 188BET customers may now be facing. If that risk matters to you, an Australian-licensed bookmaker is the safer home for your money.<\/p>\n<h2>Why bettors rated 188BET (and what to look for in a replacement)<\/h2>\n<p>188BET&#8217;s reputation came from one thing above all: <strong>sharp Asian handicap pricing<\/strong>, with margins reported below 1.5% on top-league football, plus fast withdrawals. Bonuses were always its weak point. So when you pick a replacement, prioritise the things 188BET did well: <strong>low Asian-handicap margins, deep football and cricket markets, and reliable withdrawals<\/strong> \u2014 not the size of the welcome bonus.<\/p>\n<h2>Best 188BET alternatives in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>For Asian-handicap-focused bettors, these are the closest active, licensed (offshore) options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Dafabet<\/strong> \u2014 the natural successor for AH bettors: operating since 2004, multi-jurisdiction licensed (UK GC, Cura\u00e7ao, PAGCOR, Isle of Man), genuinely strong Asian handicap across football and cricket (BBL, Tests, IPL) plus tennis. <a href=\"\/en-au\/dafabet-review-2023-a-comprehensive-guide-to-betting-and-casino-options\/\">Read our full Dafabet review \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>22Bet<\/strong> \u2014 broad markets and a huge payment menu (30+ cryptos), good if you want variety and fast crypto payouts; margins are wider than 188BET&#8217;s were. <a href=\"\/en-au\/22bet-review\/\">Read our full 22Bet review \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to choose a 188BET replacement (quick checklist)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Australian licence first<\/strong> \u2014 if local consumer protection matters, only an Australian-licensed bookmaker offers it; an offshore book does not.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Licence quality<\/strong> \u2014 if you do go offshore, pick an operator regulated in a serious jurisdiction (UKGC, Isle of Man, PAGCOR, Cura\u00e7ao at minimum).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Asian handicap margins<\/strong> \u2014 the lower the better; 188BET set the bar near 1.5% on top football.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Withdrawal speed and reliability<\/strong> \u2014 check real user reports for your payment method; for offshore books, crypto is usually the fastest, most reliable route for Australians since PayID and POLi generally aren&#8217;t available.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Legality where you live<\/strong> \u2014 confirm the book accepts you and understand the offshore risk under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>188BET \u2014 frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Is 188BET still operating in 2026?<\/h3>\n<p>No \u2014 188BET rebranded to Taptap in 2025, and its closure has since been reported. You cannot open a new 188BET account.<\/p>\n<h3>Is Taptap the same as 188BET?<\/h3>\n<p>Taptap is the rebrand of the former 188BET operation (under CyberArena). It is not the 188BET you may remember, and reports indicate it is winding down.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I still withdraw my A$ balance from my 188BET account?<\/h3>\n<p>If you hold a balance, contact the operator (Taptap\/CyberArena) and your payment provider directly. Be cautious of third-party sites stating specific deadlines while promoting a replacement bookmaker. As an offshore book, there&#8217;s no Australian regulator to escalate to if your funds are withheld.<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the best alternative to 188BET for Asian handicap?<\/h3>\n<p>Among offshore books, Dafabet is the closest active, licensed match for 188BET&#8217;s Asian-handicap strength; 22Bet is a broad, crypto-friendly alternative. If you want Australian consumer protection, choose an Australian-licensed bookmaker instead.<\/p>\n<p><em>Gamble responsibly \u2014 18+. <a href=\"\/en-au\/responsible-gambling\/\">Responsible gambling<\/a>. Free, confidential help in Australia: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 (24\/7) or self-exclude nationally at BetStop.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>188Bet Review: An In-Depth Look at Online Casino and Sports Betting Welcome to our comprehensive review of 188Bet, a prominent player in the online casino and sports betting landscape for Australian punters. In a world where digital entertainment and online gambling are becoming increasingly popular, it&#8217;s essential to note that 188Bet operates in compliance with Australian gambling laws, such as the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, ensuring a safe environment for betting on popular local sports like AFL, NRL, cricket, and horse racing. 188Bet has established itself as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and punters alike. &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-onlinecasino"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>188BET in 2026: Closed &amp; Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know - ThebestsportsbetAU<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"188BET in 2026: Closed &amp; Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"188Bet Review: An In-Depth Look at Online Casino and Sports Betting Welcome to our comprehensive review of 188Bet, a prominent player in the online casino and sports betting landscape for Australian punters. In a world where digital entertainment and online gambling are becoming increasingly popular, it&#039;s essential to note that 188Bet operates in compliance with Australian gambling laws, such as the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, ensuring a safe environment for betting on popular local sports like AFL, NRL, cricket, and horse racing. 188Bet has established itself as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and punters alike. &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ThebestsportsbetAU\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-09T18:09:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-28T22:39:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"thebestsportsbet.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"thebestsportsbet.com\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/\",\"name\":\"188BET in 2026: Closed & Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know - ThebestsportsbetAU\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-09T18:09:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-28T22:39:48+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/#\/schema\/person\/297145bd55a76b9676b0528f7e0e1779\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"188BET in 2026: Closed &#038; Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/\",\"name\":\"ThebestsportsbetAU\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/#\/schema\/person\/297145bd55a76b9676b0528f7e0e1779\",\"name\":\"thebestsportsbet.com\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a0920ccc5c10f8f1a97996cc208b69a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a0920ccc5c10f8f1a97996cc208b69a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"thebestsportsbet.com\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/author\/thebestsportsbet-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"188BET in 2026: Closed & Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know - ThebestsportsbetAU","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thebestsportsbet.com\/en-au\/188bet-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"188BET in 2026: Closed & Rebranded to Taptap \u2014 What Aussie Punters Should Know","og_description":"188Bet Review: An In-Depth Look at Online Casino and Sports Betting Welcome to our comprehensive review of 188Bet, a prominent player in the online casino and sports betting landscape for Australian punters. 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