← Policy & Regulation: Sector rules & licensing (all topics)
Real-money gaming regulation
What it is
Online games played for stakes occupy a contested legal space between skill and chance, with state-level prohibitions, GST at 28% on full face value, and central legislation restricting real-money gaming
The distinction between e-sports, social gaming and stake-based play determines what is permitted
Impact on industries
- Regulatory risk is existential rather than incremental - a prohibition removes the revenue model entirely rather than compressing it
- GST on full face value rather than platform commission changes the economics fundamentally, since tax exceeds the platform's own take
- State-by-state variation means a national platform operates under different rules in different markets, with enforcement risk in each
- Regulatory clarity would legitimise compliant operators, and e-sports and casual gaming continue to grow - the constraint is monetisation, not gaming