How to get a gambling licence in Northern Territory

The Act creates four wagering licences and no supplier licence. The sports bookmaker licence is the online route, and nothing in it limits customers by residence.

• The federal licensing condition is met by a licence of any State or Territory (Interactive Gambling Act 2001 s. 15AA(1)(c)), so an NT licensee may take bets from customers anywhere in Australia. Each State's own wagering tax, race-field and advertising rules still bind it for that State's customers.
• One sports bookmaker licence covers racing, declared sporting events and novelty events, and the Commission's declaration or rules decide which events and contingencies you may open markets on (76 declared sporting events as of 11 November 2026). Esports and fantasy sport need the declaration's conditions.
• One licence can cover several brands and domains: it is held by a company, and the fee is one amount per licence. The Commission's register printed 47 entries for 21 companies on 11 November 2026; the annual report counts 25 sports bookmaker licensees and 50 brands at 30 June 2026.
• There is no supplier or platform licence: a supplier is reached through the operator's approvals (see below).
• An NT internet gaming licence does not open the Australian casino market: providing an online casino, slot or poker game to customers physically present in Australia is a federal offence.

Laws that apply

• Racing and Wagering Act 2024 (NT) (Act No. 8 of 2024), amended by the Racing and Wagering Amendment Act 2026 (Act No. 12 of 2026), which commenced on 22 June 2026
• Racing and Wagering Regulations 2024 (NT): fees, term, security, levy, infringement amounts
• Director's system standard "Wagering Operator: System Approval Requirements" (version 1.19, 15 July 2025) and the Commission's Guidelines 1/2025 (premises and nominee) and 2/2025 (terms and conditions)
• NT Code of Practice for Responsible Service of Online Gambling 2019, approved under the Act
• Gaming Control Act 1993 (NT), Part 4 Division 5: internet gaming licences, granted by the Minister by agreement
• Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) and, from 1 January 2027, the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 (Act No. 72 of 2026)
• Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth): AUSTRAC supervises

There is no nationality or seat test. Eligibility turns on the criteria in s. 130 and on the public interest.

• The Commission may issue or renew a licence only if the applicant is eligible, issuing it is in the public interest "considering any risk to the reputation of the Commission or the Territory", and any prescribed criteria are met (s. 140(1)).
• The applicant must show sufficient financial resources, a sound and stable financial background, a satisfactory ownership, trust or corporate structure, business ability and experience, and suitable officers and associates, having regard to character, honesty and integrity (s. 130(1)).
• A person is not fit and proper if found guilty within the previous 10 years of an offence against the Territory gambling statutes or a prescribed law of another jurisdiction, unless the circumstances justify it (s. 7).
• EU, EEA and other foreign companies apply on the same terms. The Commission may rely on reliable information about the applicant from another regulator (s. 139), but a licence from another Australian jurisdiction does not exempt the applicant.
• Directors, executive officers and managers with significant influence need a key person licence (s. 123); fingerprint checks cover all directors, major shareholders and key personnel.
• After licensing, a change in associates, or in any holder of 10% of the voting power or shares, needs the Commission's written approval; a refusal must be decided within 90 days (s. 157).
• No cap on the number of licences is set, no minimum share capital is required and no local bank account is required.

These are conditions of the licence, not a formality: the Act requires premises in the Territory and an individual living there.

• The Act does not require a Territory-incorporated company. It requires premises in the Territory, registered with ASIC as the licensee's principal place of business, which in practice means a company registered in Australia (s. 152; Guideline 1/2025).
• The premises cannot be a nominal address, virtual or shared office, serviced mailbox or private residence; they must be exclusively occupied by the licensee, staffed in business hours and signed at the entrance. An inspector can give preliminary advice on suitability before a formal application.
• The licence is conditional on an individual resident in the Territory as nominee, approved by the Commission, who is contactable and gives access to the premises in business hours (s. 132). Under the guideline the nominee holds a key person licence, has completed responsible gambling training (CHCFIN005) and represents only one licensee.
• All telephone communications to conduct wagering with a customer must take place at the premises unless the licensee also holds a totalisator licence (s. 156(3)).
• No rule requires servers or data to be in the Territory, and cloud hosting is permitted on conditions (see the technical section).

The application pack comes from Licensing NT. The pack asks for the items below, and the Director may require more in writing within a reasonable time (s. 138).

• The approved application form with the prescribed fee, which Licensing NT invoices; the application is not reviewed until the fee is received.
• Fingerprint checks of all directors, major shareholders and key personnel, and a nationally coordinated criminal history check.
• The latest audited financial statements and a 3-year business plan; projections are not a separate item.
• Evidence of arrangements for a bank guarantee of up to $250,000.
• The proposed initial terms and conditions of wagering (s. 131(3)), the proposed Territory premises (s. 152(2)) and the nominee (s. 132).
• Knowledge of NT racing rules. Key person applicants also submit a current police history check and a signed statutory declaration; the holder of an equivalent key person licence from another State or Territory completes a mutual recognition form.

The licence does not let you start trading. The Commission confirms several approvals first, and none has a published processing time.

• Wagering control system: the Director must approve it before you operate (s. 163(3)); the application describes and explains the system (reg 21), and the Director evaluates it, or a material change, directly or through an approved evaluator, with access to test environments.
• Information security audit: independent, against Annex A of ISO/IEC 27001, at your expense, with the application and every year after; certification is not required.
• Terms and conditions: approved before use, with a copy to the Commission each quarter and notice of every substantive change within 14 days; each brand under one licence needs its own terms (Guideline 2/2025).
• Premises inspection, responsible gambling training for key employees (training to the national unit CHCFIN005), and registration with BetStop, the national self-exclusion register.
• Cloud hosting is allowed: give the address of every data centre, evidence of the provider's certifications such as ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27017, and your own risk assessment (System Approval Requirements cl. 2.9.4).
• A supplier needs no licence, but an arrangement under which it opens accounts, handles deposits or customer services, or is paid by reference to customers' wagering needs the Commission's prior approval (ss. 176-179).

There is no application window and no published processing time. Licensing NT sends a renewal application 3 months before the licence expires.

• Lodge with Licensing NT ([email protected] or 08 8999 1800); the Commission decides, and the Director investigates on its behalf, at the applicant's actual cost (s. 137).
• Before refusing, the Commission must give written notice with the grounds and at least 10 business days to show cause (s. 140(2)).
• A decision to issue, refuse, renew or refuse to renew a licence is reviewable by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal on application within 14 days of the decision notice; a review does not stay the decision unless the Tribunal grants a stay (ss. 239-241).
• Renewal is an application, not automatic; a renewal lodged before the term ends keeps the licence in force until it is decided (s. 140(6)).
• The licence is not transferable, and a purported transfer has no effect (s. 126).

The Territory charges a tax on the business of wagering and a separate monthly levy, both paid on or before the 14th day of the following month.

• Tax: 5% of gross profit for a sports bookmaker (wagers made less amounts paid out), capped each financial year at 2 000 000 revenue units: $2,900,000 in 2025-26 and $2,980,000 in 2026-27 (s. 145). A betting exchange pays 5% of commission under the same cap.
• Levy: 0.05% of the same base, excluding free and bonus wagers, less any community donation or sponsorship deduction the Director allows, up to $250 000 a year (reg 14).
• Unpaid levy carries interest at 10% a year and the Commission may suspend the licence (s. 149); the annual fee is subject to the same interest and suspension (s. 142).
• Federal charges sit on top: company income tax (25% for a base rate entity, 30% otherwise), GST of 10% on total wagers less prizes, and the ACMA cost recovery levy, in an amount the ACMA sets.
• Other States' point-of-consumption taxes are separate from the Territory's cap; see the operator page for the rates.
• Player winnings are not taxed.

The 2019 Code sets the duties, and federal law adds BetStop, payment limits and, from 1 January 2027, advertising limits.

• Minimum age 18; identify the customer before accepting a wager, under the federal AML/CTF Rules (s. 183).
• Offer deposit limits and prompt a customer to set one on account opening; train staff within one month and refresh every 12 months; keep a Gambling Incident Register and Gambling Training Register.
• Integrate with BetStop: do not serve or open an account for a registered person, and promote BetStop on the home page and responsible gambling pages.
• No credit cards, digital currency or credit for customers in Australia (federal).
• No sign-up credit or reward to open an account; bonus bets only if winnings can be withdrawn at once with no continued-betting requirement (cl. 5.5).
• AUSTRAC regulates you as a reporting entity: an AML/CTF program, an AML/CTF compliance officer who is a resident of Australia, suspicious matter reports within 3 business days, and 7-year records.
• Federal Part 7C advertising limits start on 1 January 2027, and the Racing and Wagering Amendment (Harm Prevention) Bill 2026, a private Member's Bill, is pending and is not law.

The Commission publishes a list of licensed operators and its decisions, and it penalises licensees.

• The Commission's "Licensed wagering operators" page lists bookmakers, betting exchange operators and the totalisator by name; it prints no licence number and no licence class. The ACMA also publishes a register of licensed interactive wagering providers.
• Disciplinary action can cancel or suspend a licence, amend its conditions, disqualify the licensee, warn it, require a change of practice or impose a monetary penalty of up to 1 000 penalty units ($194,000 at $194 a unit) (ss. 227-229).
• In 2025-26 the Commission took 17 disciplinary actions, 7 of them monetary penalties totalling $0.5 million.
• A licensee must report events such as bankruptcy, a legal claim over $200 000, any investigation by a regulator in Australia or elsewhere and material control system failures (reg 20).
• The Commission cannot block websites; blocking is federal, by the ACMA.

For a company that wants to take online sports and race bets. A betting exchange licence is a separate application with its own fees.

1. 01

   Set up Territory premises and a nominee

   RWA ss. 132, 152 · Guideline 1/2025

   Premises registered with ASIC as your principal place of business, and an approved nominee who lives in the Territory and holds a key person licence.

2. 02

   Request the application pack from Licensing NT

   [email protected] · 08 8999 1800

   Submit the approved form, the pack's documents and the fee; Licensing NT invoices the fee and does not review the application until it is paid.

3. 03

   Clear the checks

   RWA ss. 7, 130, 137-139

   Fingerprint and police checks for directors, major shareholders and key personnel, audited financial statements, a 3-year business plan and the proposed terms and conditions. Answer any request for further information.

4. 04

   Receive the decision and give security

   RWA ss. 136, 140 · reg 12

   If the Commission requests it, arrange a bank guarantee of up to $250,000 before the licence is issued. A refusal can go to the Tribunal within 14 days.

5. 05

   Get the system and terms approved

   RWA ss. 163, 180-181 · regs 21-22

   The Director approves the wagering control system after an independent ISO/IEC 27001 Annex A audit; the Commission approves your terms and conditions. Complete the premises inspection, key-employee training and BetStop registration.

6. 06

   Operate and report

   RWA ss. 142, 144-149, 188

   Pay the tax and levy by the 14th of each month, lodge the monthly return within 14 days, and pay the annual fee from the second year.

For each director, executive officer or manager with significant influence, and for the nominee.

1. 01

   Check eligibility

   RWA ss. 123, 127-128

   An individual aged 18 or over who is a fit and proper person; no conviction in the previous 10 years under the listed gambling laws.

2. 02

   Prepare the documents

   NT Government: key person licence page

   A current police history check and a signed statutory declaration; a holder of an equivalent licence from another State or Territory completes a mutual recognition form first.

3. 03

   Pay the fee and hold the licence

   Regs 9(e), 10(e), 16(1)(e)

   The application or renewal fee is 150 revenue units; the licence runs for 5 years and carries no annual fee.

Tier-ordered: official government first, then practitioner, then trade media. Every primary figure was read from the in-force text on 11 Nov 2026.