The Minimum Bet Laws (MBLs) are a blessing for Australian punters, especially the successful ones. At Winning Edge Investments, our expert analysts help you take full advantage of these laws by delivering high-quality tips backed by data, discipline, and transparency. Without minimum betting laws, online bookies could pick and choose which wagers they would accept. Without minimum betting laws, online bookies could pick and choose which wagers they would accept.

Whilst the limits depend on the state or territory, the MBLs guarantee that Australian punters can bet on all races with all Wagering Service Providers (WSPs).

How minimum bet laws are calculated is based on the amount of profit you can make after the stake is returned to you. This is somewhat like the old days of fractional odds. For example, if a horse is $5 and the limit is $2,000 you can place a $500 fixed odds bet on that horse to win $2,500, where $500 is your original stake and $2,000 is your profit.

Key MBL Requirements

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Timing Requirements:

• NSW, SA, WA, ACT: After 9:00am on race-day for day meetings or 2:00pm for night meetings
• QLD: After 9:00am for all meetings
• VIC: From after Final Acceptances (typically Wednesday afternoon for Saturday metro meetings)
• Harness Racing: Generally after 10:00am on race-day
• Greyhounds: Within 2 hours prior to the first race of the meeting

WSP Requirements (Annual turnover over $5m): Bookmakers must not:

• Refuse to accept a fixed odds bet

• Close a person's account

• Refuse to open a person's account

• Place restrictions on a person's account

• Refuse to lay fixed odds at publicly displayed prices

• Lay lesser odds than publicly displayed

• Perform any act to avoid these provisions

Note: WSPs can still take action for legitimate reasons including responsible gambling, fraud, money-laundering, and integrity issues.

THOROUGHBRED RACING LIMITS

NSW, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria all have standardised limits of $2,000 for a win bet and $800 for a place bet on metropolitan racing, as well as $1,000/$400 limits for non-metropolitan races.

New South Wales

Applies: After 9:00am AEST/AEDT for day meetings, 2:00pm for night meetings

Special Event Examples:

• For major Group 1 meetings at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the minimum bet limit remains at $2,000. This applies to all races on the program conducted on:

  • Saturday 29 March 2025 (Golden Slipper Day)

  • Saturday 5 April 2025 (Doncaster Day featuring the Doncaster Mile and ATC Australian Derby)

  • Saturday 12 April 2025 (Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day)

• The Championships at Randwick (April 2025) maintain the standard metropolitan limits of $2,000 win / $800 place for both Day 1 and Day 2 of the carnival

Victoria

Applies: From after Final Acceptances (implemented since October 2016, early betting access from May 2021)

Special Event Examples:

• For the Melbourne Cup Carnival 2024, the minimum bet limit was $2,000. This applies to all races on:

  • Tuesday 29 October 2024 (Cox Plate Day at The Valley)

  • Tuesday 5 November 2024 (Melbourne Cup Day)

  • Saturday 9 November 2024 (VRC Oaks Day)

  • Saturday 16 November 2024 (Stakes Day)

• The Spring Racing Carnival features enhanced betting from Final Acceptances across September to November

• TAB Australian Cup Day (30 March 2025) maintains metropolitan limits of $2,000 win / $800 place for the $3 million Group 1 feature

Queensland

Applies: From after Final Acceptances (9am onwards for all meetings)

South Australia

Applies: After 9:00am ACST for day meetings, 2:00pm for night meetings

Special Event Examples:

• For the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival 2025, the minimum bet limit is $2,000. This applies to all races on:

  • Saturday 26 April 2025 (Australasian Oaks Day featuring the $1M Australasian Oaks and $1M Robert Sangster Stakes)

  • Saturday 3 May 2025 (SA Derby Day featuring the $1M Group 1 SA Derby)

• The Goodwood Carnival maintains standard metropolitan limits across all Group races conducted at Morphettville during the autumn period

Western Australia

Applies: After 9:00am WST for day meetings, 2:00pm WST for meetings starting 4:00pm or later

Tasmania

Applies: After 9:00am AEST/AEDT for day meetings, 2:00pm for meetings after 5:00pm

Australian Capital Territory

Applies: After 9:00am AEST/AEDT on race day.

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HARNESS RACING LIMITS

New South Wales

Applies: After 10:00am AEST/AEDT on race-day

Special Event Examples:

• Inter Dominion Championships 2024/25: Minimum bet limit is $2,000 across all races in the series

• Miracle Mile meeting at Menangle maintains Platinum status with $2,000 win / $800 place limits for the entire race program

Victoria

Applies: After 10:00am AEST/AEDT on race-day

Queensland

Applies: From after Final Acceptances

Western Australia

Applies: After 9:00am WST for day meetings, 2:00pm WST for meetings starting 4:00pm or later

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• Clear bet notifications with defined units and staking guidance

GREYHOUND RACING LIMITS

New South Wales

WSP Threshold: $4 million annual NSW Greyhound turnover

Special Event Examples:

• Million Dollar Chase Final 2024: $3,000 minimum bet limit. Winning Edge Investment members receive greyhound tips from Australia’s top analysts with ROI-focused recommendations on races like this

• Golden Easter Egg series: $3,000 win / $1,000 place limits for all heat and final races

• Group 1 feature races including the Melbourne Cup (Greyhounds), Bold Trease and other major finals qualify for enhanced $3,000 minimum bet limits

Victoria

Applies: Within 2 hours prior to first race

Special Event Examples:

• Melbourne Cup (Greyhounds) at The Meadows: $2,000 minimum bet limit

• Silver Chief series and other Group 1 finals at Sandown Park and The Meadows: $2,000 win / $1,000 place limits

Queensland

Applies: From after Final Acceptances

South Australia

Applies: Within 2 hours prior to first race

Western Australia

Applies: After 9:00am WST for day meetings, 2:00pm WST for meetings starting 4:00pm or later

Key Updates from Previous Versions:

• Victoria Early Betting: Since 10 May 2021, punters can access MBL provisions from Final Acceptances

• Consistent Limits: NSW, SA, QLD and VIC all have a limit of $2,000 for win bets and $800 for place bets on metropolitan racing, and $1,000/$400 for non-metropolitan races

• Greyhound Thresholds: NSW requires WSPs to have a $4 million turnover threshold for greyhound betting

• Enhanced Group 1 Limits: Higher limits apply to major Group 1 events across all codes

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Complaint Processes and Official Information: For complaints or further information, contact:

• NSW: Racing NSW (https://www.racingnsw.com.au/), Harness Racing NSW (https://www.hrnsw.com.au/), GRNSW (https://www.grnsw.com.au/)

• VIC: Racing Victoria (https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/), Harness Racing Victoria (https://www.harness.org.au/), GRV (https://www.grv.org.au/)

• QLD: Racing Queensland (https://www.racingqueensland.com.au/)

• SA: Racing SA (https://racingsa.com.au/)

• WA: Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/)

• TAS: TasRacing (https://tasracing.com.au/)

• ACT: Racing ACT (https://www.racingact.com.au/)

References and Official Sources:

• TABtouch MBL Guidelines: https://help.tabtouch.com.au/knowledge-base/mbl-minimum-bet-limit/

• Horse Betting Australia: https://horsebetting.com.au/minimum-bet-limits/

• Racing NSW: https://www.racingnsw.com.au/

• Racing Victoria: https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/

• Racing Queensland: https://www.racingqueensland.com.au/

• NSW Harness Racing: https://www.hrnsw.com.au/uploads/files/race%20fields%20legislation/nsw%20minimum%20bet%20liability%20limit%20policy%20-%201%20feb%202021%20faq's.pdf

• Victoria Greyhounds: https://www.grv.org.au/news/2018/06/28/minimum-bet-limits/

• Victoria Harness: https://www.harness.org.au/media-room/news-article/?news_id=35054

• South Australia: https://www.racing.com/news/2018-07-03/sa-introduces-minimum-bet-limit

• Tasmania: https://tasracing.com.au/minimum-bet-limit-introduced-tasmanian-thoroughbred-racing

• Victoria Greyhounds (Additional): https://australianracinggreyhound.com/news/vic/victoria-the-first-to-adopt-minimum-bet-limits-on-greyhound-racing/93410/

• Sydney Racing Carnival: https://www.atc.com.au/

• Melbourne Cup Carnival: https://www.flemington.com.au/

• Adelaide Autumn Carnival: https://www.morphettville.com.au/

• Inter Dominion Championships: https://www.harness.org.au/

Important Notes:

• All limits are based on potential profit, not stake amount

• WSPs with annual turnover under $5 million may have different or no minimum requirements

• Legitimate account restrictions can still apply for responsible gambling, fraud prevention, and integrity reasons

• Group 1 and feature races often have enhanced minimum bet limits

• Information compiled from official racing authority sources and major wagering operator guidelines

Last Updated: August 2025

Sources verified: August 2025