Bookmaker

A bookmaker operates a betting business by accepting wagers on sporting events, races, and other outcomes in accordance with state and territory gambling regulations. They calculate odds, manage betting pools, settle accounts with punters, and use specialist wagering software and communications systems to process bets and payouts. Bookmakers operate in licensed venues, clubs, or online platforms and must comply with regulatory requirements set by state racing and gambling authorities.

Calculate and set odds on sporting events, horse racing, and greyhound racing using form guides, performance data, and market information. Accept and record bets from punters using point-of-sale terminals or online betting platforms, ensuring compliance with betting limits and wagering restrictions. Manage betting pools and account balances, reconciling wagers against payouts and monitoring liability exposure across multiple events. Process winning and losing bets, calculating payouts using odds and stake amounts, and settling accounts with punters. Maintain records of all transactions, bet slips, and account activity for audit and regulatory compliance purposes. Monitor live betting markets and adjust odds in real time in response to bet volumes, market movements, and external factors. Ensure compliance with state and territory gambling legislation, including wagering tax obligations and responsible gambling requirements. Operate betting terminals, electronic wagering systems, and communication equipment to transmit bets and receive race results.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The real grind is managing liability: one wrong odds calculation or system glitch can cost thousands. You're also watching punters lose money all day, which wears on some people. Automation may reduce venue-based work, and online betting is shifting jobs away from traditional shops.

Most venues are in metro areas, but regional racing centres still need staff.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 5523, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Casino game rulescore
• Casino policiescore
• Complaint Handlingcore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• Multitaskingcore
• Negotiationcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Active Listening
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Apply conflict management
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliance
• Digital Literacy
• Record Management
• Reporting and Analytics
• Research and Analysis

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026