Crown88 vs PointsBet: Offshore Casino or Local Bookmaker

Crown88 vs PointsBet is a comparison many Australian punters face when weighing an offshore, all-in-one gaming site against a locally licensed bookmaker.

On the surface, both brands promise sports betting, slick mobile access and regular promotions. Underneath, they operate under very different rules.

Crown88 is a Southeast Asian operator that says it holds a Curaçao licence and has expanded into Oceania. PointsBet is an ASX-listed bookmaker, founded in Melbourne and now majority-owned by Japan’s MIXI.

What follows sets out how the two compare on licensing, products, payments, player protection and overall value for Australians, before naming a clear winner.

What is the Main Difference Between Crown88 and PointsBet?

The main difference between Crown88 and PointsBet is that PointsBet is an Australian corporate bookmaker licensed by the Northern Territory Racing Commission to take sports and racing bets, while Crown88 is an offshore operator licensed in Curaçao that markets online pokies, live dealer tables, a sportsbook and crypto payments — several of which Australian-licensed services cannot legally offer online. In short, PointsBet trades a narrower menu for full Australian consumer protections, whereas Crown88 offers breadth without them.

What is Crown88 and What is PointsBet?

Both brands court Australian punters, but they come from very different places and answer to very different regulators.

Crown88

Crown88 is an online gaming brand that, by its own account, was established in Southeast Asia in 2010. Its press releases list operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.

The company describes itself as licensed and regulated by the Government of Curaçao under a master licence. It does not hold a licence from any Australian state or territory.

In 2024, Crown88 announced an expansion into Oceania. It named Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands as target markets.

Its product mix leans heavily towards casino play. Promotional material highlights pokies, live dealer tables, a sportsbook and crypto deposits under one account.

The Crown88 name also appears across many regional and localised domains. That makes it harder for players to confirm which site is genuinely official.

PointsBet

PointsBet is an Australian corporate bookmaker founded in Melbourne in 2015. It listed on the ASX in 2019 and is headquartered in Cremorne, Victoria.

It holds its Australian wagering licence through the Northern Territory Racing Commission. That licence lets it take sports and racing bets nationally, subject to Commonwealth law.

PointsBet sold its US business to Fanatics in 2024 to focus on Australia and Canada. In September 2025, Japanese tech group MIXI acquired a 66.4% controlling stake.

The brand made its name with PointsBetting, a spread-style product where wins and losses scale with how accurate a prediction is. It also offers fixed-odds sports, racing, multis and live markets within the limits of Australian law.

Australia remains the core of the business. In the nine months to 31 March 2026, Australian revenue was $152.0 million out of $186.6 million group-wide.

Key differences between Crown88 and PointsBet

1. Licensing and regulation: PointsBet is licensed by the Northern Territory Racing Commission and answers to Australian state and Commonwealth regulators. Crown88 cites a Curaçao master licence, which carries no weight under Australian law.
2. Legal status for Australian players: The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 bans providers from offering online casino games and pokies to people in Australia. PointsBet’s sports and racing betting is permitted, while a casino-led offshore offer like Crown88’s falls into the prohibited category.
3. Product range: Crown88 bundles pokies, live dealer games, table games and a sportsbook. PointsBet Australia is limited to sports and racing, and only runs online casino games in Canada.
4. Payment methods: Crown88 promotes crypto deposits and fast crypto withdrawals. Since 11 June 2024, Australian-licensed wagering services such as PointsBet have been banned from accepting credit cards or digital currency.
5. Player protection obligations: PointsBet must link to BetStop, verify identity before opening accounts and send monthly activity statements. Crown88 sits outside these Australian rules, so none of them are guaranteed.
6. Corporate transparency: PointsBet is ASX-listed and publishes audited annual reports, revenue figures and board changes. Crown88 is privately held and discloses very little beyond marketing press releases.
7. Dispute resolution: A PointsBet customer can escalate a complaint to an Australian regulator. A Crown88 customer in Australia would be relying on an offshore licensing body, with little practical recourse.

Key similarities between Crown88 and PointsBet

1. Sports betting in the line-up: Both brands take bets on major sporting events. Each markets coverage of codes popular with Australians, such as AFL, NRL and cricket.
2. Mobile-first experience: PointsBet runs native apps on iOS and Android. Crown88 leans on a mobile-optimised website designed for betting on the go.
3. Promotions as a hook: Both use bonuses and promotional offers to attract and keep customers. PointsBet’s offers are restricted by state inducement rules, while Crown88’s are not.
4. Multinational footprint: Neither brand is single-market. Crown88 spans Southeast Asia and Oceania, while PointsBet trades in Australia and Canada.
5. Identity checks: PointsBet must verify identity before an account opens. Offshore operators like Crown88 typically run their own know-your-customer checks, often at the withdrawal stage.
6. A deliberate push into Australia: Crown88 publicly announced Australia as an expansion market. For PointsBet, Australia is the home market and its largest revenue source.

Features of Crown88 vs Features of PointsBet

1. Licence: Crown88 cites a Curaçao master licence. PointsBet holds an Australian wagering licence from the Northern Territory Racing Commission.
2. Core products: Crown88 offers pokies, live dealer tables, table games and a sportsbook. PointsBet Australia offers sports and racing betting only.
3. Signature bet type: Crown88 has no stand-out proprietary product. PointsBet has PointsBetting, its spread-style format.
4. Payments: Crown88 promotes crypto deposits and withdrawals. PointsBet uses Australian bank-based methods and cannot accept credit cards or crypto.
5. Mobile access: Crown88 relies on a mobile-optimised website. PointsBet runs native iOS and Android apps.
6. Responsible gambling tools: Crown88’s tools are not governed by Australian standards. PointsBet provides deposit limits, activity statements and BetStop integration.
7. Corporate disclosure: Crown88 shares little beyond marketing releases. PointsBet reports to the ASX and publishes audited annual reports.

Crown88 vs PointsBet Comparison Table

Final verdict

The winner is PointsBet.

Crown88 offers more variety on paper, with pokies, live tables and crypto all under one roof. For Australians, though, that variety comes from an operator with no Australian licence.

PointsBet is licensed, regulated and publicly accountable. Its product is narrower, but every bet sits inside Australian consumer protections.

For anyone betting from Australia, legal certainty and recourse outweigh a bigger game lobby. PointsBet is the clear choice.

Pros of Crown88 Over PointsBet

1. Wider game library: Crown88 offers pokies, live dealer tables and classic casino games alongside its sportsbook. PointsBet Australia offers none of these online.
2. One account for casino and sport: Players in Crown88’s markets can move between pokies, live tables and sports bets from a single balance. That suits people who enjoy mixing formats in one session.
3. Crypto payment support: Crown88 accepts crypto deposits and promotes quick crypto withdrawals. For players in jurisdictions that allow it, this can mean faster cash-outs than bank transfers.
4. Longer operating history: Crown88 says it has traded since 2010, five years before PointsBet was founded. It has built a sizeable following across several Asian markets.
5. Regional and multilingual reach: The brand runs localised sites in multiple Southeast Asian languages. That makes it more accessible than PointsBet to non-English speakers in those markets.
6. Fewer product restrictions: Outside Australia’s rules, Crown88 can list bet types and live markets that Australian law restricts. The trade-off is that the same freedom removes Australian-standard safeguards.

Cons of Crown88 Compared to PointsBet

1. No Australian licence: Crown88’s Curaçao licence does not authorise it to serve Australians. PointsBet’s Northern Territory licence does.
2. Risk of site blocking: ACMA regularly orders internet providers to block offshore gambling sites found in breach of the law. More than 1,300 such sites have been blocked since 2019, and players can be left struggling to reach their balances.
3. Limited recourse in disputes: If a withdrawal is delayed or refused, an Australian player has no local regulator to turn to. ACMA warns that unlicensed sites lack key protections, so players risk losing their money.
4. Outside BetStop: The national self-exclusion register only binds licensed Australian providers. A self-excluded punter receives no protection from an offshore site.
5. Crypto volatility and irreversibility: Crypto balances can swing in value between deposit and withdrawal. Transfers are also hard to reverse if something goes wrong.
6. Copycat and mirror domains: The Crown88 name appears across many regional domains and promotional profiles. That makes it difficult to confirm the official site and raises the risk of imitation pages.
7. Little financial disclosure: Crown88 does not publish audited accounts. Players have no clear view of its financial health or who ultimately stands behind it.

Pros of PointsBet Over Crown88

1. Australian licence and oversight: PointsBet is licensed by the Northern Territory Racing Commission. Its conduct is also overseen by ACMA and state regulators.
2. Legal certainty: Australians can bet with PointsBet without wondering whether the site will be blocked. Its sports and racing products are expressly permitted under Australian law.
3. Built-in harm-minimisation tools: PointsBet offers deposit limits, time-outs and links to BetStop. Customers also receive monthly activity statements, as Australian rules require.
4. Public accountability: As an ASX-listed company, PointsBet publishes audited reports and holds an annual general meeting. Its revenue, losses and leadership changes are all on the public record.
5. Deep local sports and racing coverage: The book is built around Australian codes and racing. Punters get markets on AFL, NRL, cricket and thoroughbreds that suit local betting habits.
6. PointsBetting: The spread-style product rewards punters for how right they are, not just whether they are right. Few competitors offer anything similar.
7. Straightforward AUD payments: Deposits and withdrawals run through Australian bank-based methods in Australian dollars. There is no crypto price risk or currency conversion.
8. Backing of a major parent: MIXI, a large Japanese internet company, holds a controlling stake. It has already lent the business funds during its transition.

Cons of PointsBet Compared to Crown88

1. No online casino for Australians: PointsBet cannot offer pokies or live dealer games online in Australia. Its casino product is only available in Canada.
2. No credit card or crypto deposits: Australian law bans licensed wagering services from accepting credit cards and digital currency. Punters who prefer crypto have no option at PointsBet.
3. Tighter promotional limits: State rules restrict sign-up bonuses and other inducements. PointsBet’s offers are therefore more modest than those marketed by offshore sites.
4. Restricted live betting online: Australian law limits online in-play betting on sport. Some live wagers must be placed by phone rather than in the app.
5. Financial pressure and transition: PointsBet posted a statutory loss of $26.6 million for the nine months to 31 March 2026. A new Group CEO, Andrew Catterall, took over in February 2026, so product priorities may shift.
6. Stake limits on winning accounts: Like most Australian corporate bookmakers, PointsBet can restrict stakes for punters it considers too successful. That frustrates sharper bettors.
7. Regulatory blemishes: PointsBet has faced ACMA enforcement over marketing messages sent to customers. It entered court-enforceable undertakings to strengthen its compliance processes.

Situations when Crown88 is Better than PointsBet

These scenarios mostly apply to players outside Australia. For anyone physically in Australia, Crown88’s casino offer sits outside the law that licensed operators follow.

1. You live in one of its core Asian markets: Crown88 is built for Southeast Asian players, where PointsBet does not operate at all. Check that local law permits its use before signing up.
2. You want casino and sport under one login: Players who switch between pokies, live tables and football bets benefit from a single shared balance. PointsBet cannot match that in Australia.
3. You already hold and use crypto: Where crypto gambling is lawful, Crown88’s crypto rails can be quicker than bank transfers. PointsBet does not accept digital currency in Australia.
4. You prefer Asian-style betting and tables: Asian handicap lines and baccarat-heavy live lobbies are staples of Asian-facing books. They are far less prominent at an Australian bookmaker.
5. You need support in a regional language: Crown88’s localised sites cater to Vietnamese, Thai and other Southeast Asian speakers. PointsBet’s service is English-only.
6. You value an established regional brand: For players in Asia, Crown88’s history back to 2010 gives a recognisable name in a crowded market. PointsBet has no presence there to compare.

Situations when PointsBet is Better than Crown88

1. You live in Australia: PointsBet is licensed to serve Australians, so there is no risk of the site being blocked mid-season. Your balance stays accessible through normal channels.
2. You mainly bet on AFL, NRL, cricket or racing: PointsBet’s markets are shaped around Australian codes and the local racing calendar. Pricing and promotions follow the same focus.
3. You want strong consumer protection: Licensed status means complaints can go to an Australian regulator. That safety net does not exist with an offshore site.
4. You use or may need self-exclusion: PointsBet must honour BetStop registrations. Anyone wanting firm limits on their betting is far safer with a licensed provider.
5. You prefer simple banking in AUD: Deposits and withdrawals run through Australian bank-based methods. There is no crypto wallet to manage and no exchange-rate exposure.
6. You enjoy spread-style betting: PointsBetting lets you back a margin and win more the further a result goes your way. Losses scale up too, so it suits confident, disciplined punters.
7. You want to know who holds your money: PointsBet publishes audited accounts and its major shareholder is a listed Japanese company. That transparency is a meaningful comfort for regular bettors.

FAQs

Is it against the law for an Australian to play at an offshore casino like Crown88?

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 targets the businesses that provide or advertise prohibited online gambling services, not individual players, so a punter using an offshore casino is generally not committing an offence. That does not make it safe. The player has no Australian regulator to complain to, no guarantee of fair treatment and no protection if the site is blocked or refuses to pay, which is why ACMA consistently advises Australians to avoid unlicensed operators.

How can I check whether a betting site is licensed in Australia?

ACMA maintains a public register of licensed interactive wagering services that lists every provider allowed to take bets from Australians. A licensed site should also display its licensing body and licence details in its footer, such as the Northern Territory Racing Commission. If a site claims only an overseas licence, such as Curaçao or Malta, and is offering online pokies or casino games to Australians, that is a strong sign it is operating outside Australian law.

What happens to my balance if ACMA blocks an offshore gambling site?

When ACMA asks internet providers to block a site, Australians who try to visit it see a warning page instead of the operator’s website. Any money left in the account is not automatically returned, and there is no Australian compensation scheme to fall back on. ACMA’s standing advice is that anyone with funds on an illegal gambling site should withdraw them as soon as possible.

Does PointsBet offer an online casino anywhere?

Yes, but only in Canada. PointsBet’s Ontario casino moved onto the Bede Gaming platform on 28 April 2026, and its Canadian business grew revenue by 13% to $34.6 million in the nine months to 31 March 2026, helped by iGaming. Australian customers cannot access that casino because online casino games remain prohibited under Australian law.

Did the takeover battle for PointsBet affect its customers?

In 2025, Japanese group MIXI and Australian rival Betr fought a drawn-out contest for control of PointsBet, with multiple revised bids and a referral to the Takeovers Panel. MIXI ultimately won, and customer accounts, balances and licences carried on unchanged throughout. The main visible effects since then have been a shift to a 31 March financial year and a leadership change at the top of the business.

Can BetStop block offshore gambling sites?

No. BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register launched in August 2023, only binds licensed Australian wagering providers, so it has no effect on offshore operators. People who want to block offshore sites as well can use gambling-blocking software on their devices and ask their bank to activate a gambling transaction block, which many Australian banks now offer.

Are gambling winnings taxed in Australia?

For most recreational punters, gambling winnings are not treated as assessable income in Australia, so wins from a licensed bookmaker are generally tax-free. The position can differ for people who gamble in a businesslike, professional way, and crypto held on an offshore site may raise separate capital gains questions. Anyone unsure about their circumstances should seek advice from a registered tax agent.

Where can I get help if gambling is becoming a problem?

Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support around the clock on 1800 858 858 and through online chat. Licensed Australian bookmakers must also provide deposit limits and links to BetStop, which lets a person exclude themselves from all licensed online wagering providers in one step for anywhere from three months to life.

Crown88 vs PointsBet Summary

Crown88 vs PointsBet comes down to a choice between variety and protection.

Crown88 brings pokies, live tables, a sportsbook and crypto payments together on one offshore platform. Its Curaçao licence, however, gives Australians no local recourse.

PointsBet offers a narrower menu focused on sport and racing. In return, it delivers an Australian licence, BetStop integration and the transparency of an ASX-listed company.

For punters based in Australia, PointsBet is the sensible and safer pick. Crown88 is relevant mainly to players in its core Asian markets, where local law permits its use.