Long-established Australian sportsbook (Ladbrokes-owned since 2013) with strong sports variety but promotions and app features lagging behind competitors
Visit Bookmaker.com.au →Online casino is not lawful in Australia
We show no casino offer here on purpose. Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, supplying online casino games to someone in Australia is prohibited - so a casino bonus aimed at you here comes from an operator working against that law, whatever licence it holds elsewhere.
Providing online casino games - pokies, roulette, blackjack, online poker - to someone in Australia is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Licensed SPORTS BETTING is a different matter and remains lawful, which is why this market still shows bookmaker offers: almost every Australian online bookmaker is licensed by the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission, and the same Act separately bans online IN-PLAY betting. The two casino offers we previously published here were, by our own recorded conditions, offshore operators with no Australian licence.
Pros
- Genuinely long operating history since 2012, owned by Ladbrokes plc since 2013
- Strong betting variety across 30+ sports with generally good odds
- Well-regarded, fast betting apps for Android and iPhone
Cons
- Current specific state/territory licence not independently reconfirmed following the Norfolk Island phase-out
- Promotions lag behind competitors like Sportsbet and Crownbet
- No live streaming available
- iPhone app requires location services enabled even when not in use
- No advertised sign-up bonus - prohibited under Australian inducement laws
Our verdict
Bookmaker.com.au has a genuinely long operating history since 2012, under Ladbrokes plc ownership since 2013, and independent reviews consistently praise its strong betting variety and generally good odds across more than 30 sports. We want to flag directly, though, that its historical Norfolk Island licence was phased out years ago, and we could not independently reconfirm its current specific licensing authority - worth verifying directly if licensing detail matters to you. On the product side, promotions lag behind some competitors, there's no live streaming, and the iPhone app has a documented location-services quirk that frustrates some users. No sign-up bonus is advertised, consistent with Australian state inducement laws that apply to all licensed local bookmakers. Given the strong operating history and betting variety against the unconfirmed current licensing detail, we'd recommend Bookmaker.com.au with reasonable confidence for punters focused on sports variety and odds.
How we rated it
Sportsbook & casino (36%)7
Strong betting variety across 30+ sports (AFL, NRL, EPL, NBA, NFL) with generally good odds, though the platform lacks live streaming.
Trust & licensing (27%)6.5
A genuinely long-established operator (since 2012) owned by Ladbrokes plc since 2013, though its historical Norfolk Island licence was phased out and the current specific licence could not be independently reconfirmed.
Support & reliability (18%)6
Generally positive reviews for the betting apps, though some frustration with the iPhone app requiring location services enabled even when not in use.
Bonuses & value (18%)4
No advertised sign-up bonus - prohibited under Australian state inducement laws. Independent reviews also note promotions lagging behind competitors like Sportsbet and Crownbet.
Quick facts
| Owner | Ladbrokes plc (Australian operations), acquired in 2013 |
| History | Launched 2012; historically licensed via Norfolk Island (phased out post-2015 for interactive wagering) |
| Current licence | Not independently reconfirmed following Norfolk Island's phase-out - an open gap |
| Sports coverage | 30+ sports including AFL, NRL, EPL, NBA, NFL with generally good odds; no live streaming |
| App note | iPhone app requires location services enabled even when not in use - a documented user frustration |
| Australia | No advertised sign-up bonus - prohibited under state inducement laws (WA, NSW, VIC, SA, etc.) |
How we verified this
The 2012 founding, 2013 Ladbrokes plc acquisition, and historical Norfolk Island licensing are confirmed via contemporaneous industry legal/news coverage. The current specific Australian state/territory licence could not be independently reconfirmed post-transition and is reported as an open question. The odds/variety, weaker promotions, and app-related complaint themes are read directly from independent review coverage.
Where Bookmaker.com.au is licensed
Bookmaker.com.au appears on the official register in 1 countries. Highlighted countries have a full local review — pick yours for its welcome bonus and licence details.
Oceania (1)
About Bookmaker.com.au
Bookmaker.com.au launched in 2012 and was acquired by Ladbrokes plc in 2013, giving it a genuinely long operating history under a major international bookmaking group's Australian operations. We want to flag directly that the site was historically licensed via Norfolk Island, an offshore Australian territory jurisdiction whose interactive wagering licensing was phased out following tightened enforcement of Australia's Interactive Gambling Act after 2015; we could not independently reconfirm its current specific state or territory licence following that transition, and treat this as an open question rather than assume a current licensor. Independent reviews describe strong betting variety across more than 30 sports including AFL, NRL, EPL, NBA, and NFL, with generally good odds that put it among the better Australian betting sites for sports variety. Documented drawbacks include promotions that lag behind competitors like Sportsbet and Crownbet, no live streaming, and a specific complaint that the iPhone app requires location services to remain enabled even when the app isn't actively in use. As with all Australian bookmakers, no sign-up bonus is advertised, since state inducement laws prohibit offering or advertising incentives to open a betting account.