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Australia has a quiet affection for Keno and its rising popularity both online and at land-based venues should not be underestimated. With high jackpots and low minimum betting limits, it’s the perfect game for casual punters or those looking for something different from the usual lottery draw. This page details where Australians can play Keno across the country, our local laws governing the game per state, and where we can legally play online for real money.
Best online Keno websites
Where can I play keno in Australia?
In Australia, keno can be found and played at a variety of land-based casinos, clubs, hotels, pubs and RSLs across the country. There are around 3,600 Keno outlets and 6,200 Keno terminals in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland alone, a clear testament to the popularity of the game among the average Aussie punter.
Daily keno draws in Australia are run by different organisations depending on the state and region you are from. Currently, Tabcorp Holdings regulate and run keno in New South Wales Queensland, and Victoria, with an additional license for operation in 50 venues in the ACT. SkyCity Darwin Casino runs the only live keno game in Australia for players in the Northern Territory, which is then televised to over 70 venues across the state. Crown Casino Perth is the only venue allowed to offer standard keno and jackpot keno in Western Australia due to local laws. SA Lotteries has exclusive rights to run keno in South Australia across nearly 600 venues and syndicates its games to the ACT. TASKeno handles all keno draws in Tasmania in over 150 venues, including its two land-based casinos.
While the general rules of keno remain the same across all states, promotions, offers, venue accessibility and jackpot payouts differ depending on the provider. Please visit our more detailed keno state pages as listed below for more in-depth information into keno in your area.
What are the keno laws in Australia?
Keno is 100% legal to play all around Australia, but individual governing legislation means it is handled and regulated slightly differently state-to-state. If you seek official reference as to the local laws governing keno or wish lodge a complaint about compliance with a gaming law in your state, refer to the following:
- Australian Capital Territory: Gambling and Racing Control Act 1999
- New South Wales: Public Lotteries Amendment (Keno Licensing) Bill 2016
- Northern Territory: Gaming Control Act 2005
- South Australia: State Lotteries Act 1966
- Queensland: Keno Regulation 2007
- Tasmania: Gaming Control Act 1993
- Victoria: Gambling Regulation Act 2003
- Western Australia: Responsible Gambling Code of Practice (Crown Perth)
How to play traditional Keno in Australia
Keno is a pick-and-match number game which is extremely easy to play. Balls with numbers 1 through 80 are used every game, and around 20 are drawn which are called spots (you can also get 15 number or even 40 number games in certain states). The player’s aim is to match your chosen numbers with the drawn numbers.
Many keno venues have games that are completed automated with the use of random number generators (such as in NSW) but some still persist with manual draws depending on where you are playing. Daily keno games are run every three minutes in most states, and venues often offer a maximum jackpot of $5,000,000 for picking and matching 10 numbers in the one game. You can choose to play anywhere from one number up to 40 numbers per game and games start from as little as $1 each.
To play at land-based venues, grab a paper entry form (or use the electronic keno terminal if that option is available) and mark how many numbers you wish to play, how much you want to bet on each game, and how many draws you are going to play on the printed grid. Once you are finished, hand your form to the attendant of your keno venue or process your digital form if on a keno terminal, and then you can proceed to watch your keno draw play out on-screen within the venue or on your mobile via the state keno app.
If the numbers are have chosen (spots) are called out, you are paid according to the paytable and the amount of numbers you have chosen correctly. With such low entry, you do have a real shot at winning over a million dollars (take a look at some of the biggest keno winners in Australia), but the house edge of 15% – 30% does somewhat put things into perspective.
Common keno side-bets include keno bonus, which can grant you the chance of multiplying your regular Keno win by up to 10 times if you score the designated bonus number, and Heads or Tails, which you will find on the back of the keno form and allows to you to bet on 1-40 (Heads) and 41-80 (Tails) or Evens coming up. Whichever section has the most drawn numbers per game wins, paying 2:1. If both Heads and Tails has the same amount of numbers drawn and you have placed a bet on Evens, then you win 4:1.
What about online keno?
Online keno can be played from the comfort of your own home at regulated Internet bookmakers, such as William Hill’s Planet Lottery platform, or Australian-licensed lottery betting sites like Lottoland. After of September 2017, due to the Interactive Gaming Act Amendment Bill 2016, offshore-based online casino sites can no longer offer real money online keno to Australians, so it’s safest to stick with Australian licensed and recognised betting sites for your online and mobile keno entertainment.