Australian regulator rules Tabcorp Tap in-play service legal

• Australia’s communications regulator has ruled that Tabcorp’s Tap in-play service is not a prohibited interactive gambling service under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
• The service qualifies under the “place-based betting service” exception inserted into the IGA via the Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2016, which took effect in 2017.
• The ACMA noted that player protections for Tap in-play users are stronger than those currently in place for standard electronic betting terminal customers.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has concluded its investigation into Tabcorp’s Tap in-play service, ruling it compliant with the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA).

The regulator confirmed the service meets the requirements of the “place-based betting service” exception under section 8BA of the legislation.

What the service does

Tabcorp’s Tap in-play service allows customers at licensed Tabcorp venues to use their own smart device to build in-play bets through the TAB app. Once constructed, the bet is placed by tapping the device against a designated Tap in-play station at the venue. The process combines digital convenience with a physical, venue-based transaction.

The place-based betting exception was inserted into the IGA via the Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2016, taking effect in 2017, to clarify that in-venue in-play wagering using electronic betting terminals (EBTs) was permitted.

EBTs are currently deployed across Tabcorp venues nationally. The ACMA found that the Tap in-play service uses newer technology to deliver a functionally equivalent experience that falls within the same legislative exception.

The investigation was prompted by Tabcorp’s announcement in May 2025 of a trial at two New South Wales venues, approved by NSW Liquor & Gaming.

Safer than existing terminals

The regulator noted that the player protection framework attached to the Tap in-play service is more robust than that governing current EBTs. In particular, the service incorporates a Real Time Intervention (RTI) strategy — a feature that enables continuous monitoring for risk indicators, allowing venue staff or systems to identify and respond to potentially problematic gambling behaviour as it occurs.

The ACMA has stated that it recognises in-play betting carries elevated risk for those prone to gambling harm. The IGA’s place-based framework is designed to address this by limiting in-play betting to physical venues, where observation of gambling behaviour is possible.

Rollout depends on state and territory approvals

The ACMA’s determination applies specifically to the operation of Tabcorp’s Tap in-play service as described. Its findings do not represent a blanket approval for any future variations to the service.

State and territory regulatory approvals remain required before the service can be commercially deployed. A nationwide rollout would exclude Western Australia, which maintains its own ban on in-play betting. Should approvals be granted elsewhere, the ACMA has indicated it will monitor the introduction and ongoing operation of the service closely.

As part of its conditions, Tabcorp will be required to report to the ACMA on the implementation of its RTI strategy, including any system updates and incidents involving customers using the service. This reporting obligation will give the regulator ongoing visibility into how the protections perform in practice.

Broader context

The clearance stands in contrast to separate ACMA enforcement activity against Tabcorp in February 2026, when the regulator issued a $158,400 fine related to unrelated online in-play tennis bets — the operator’s third breach of its kind.

The juxtaposition signals the regulator’s capacity to both clear innovative venue-based products and enforce boundaries on digital in-play wagering.